Ice and Snow
by Adrian Tyndall
Summary: A year after graduating Youkai Academy, Tsukune's allies have gone their separate ways. But when an old enemy makes a stunning return with designs on destroying the human world, they'll have to reunite and join forces with a mysterious new player to stop him. Rating for language and violence.
1. Chapter 1

**[1]**

Saren struggled to catch his breath, forcing himself to maintain a grip on his sword. He looked beside him and started to wish he hadn't. Mizore was on one knee, clutching her burned arm. He could only imagine how much it had to be hurting her. Worse still, Celsius had used up most of her power holding Kuyou at bay. Despite being a Summon Spirit, he was essentially a miniature force of nature. It would take a lot more power to bring him down. And yet…

And yet he had to try. He gripped his sword tighter, his anger at the situation building. The prince took a few steps toward his foe, and heard the demon laughing at him.

"You fool. After everything I've already done to you, you still think you can stand up to me? You're nothing more than a pathetic human. I tore apart the ice bitch, and even that sprite you summoned," Kuyou said.

"Kiss my ass," Saren said. "I'm not human, at least not entirely. Or do you not know a half-elf when you see one?"

"Half-elf?" Kuyou asked. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Half-elf. A human with elven blood, or else an elf with human blood. Your pick. Either way, it's what I am. And it means I'll always be able to come back for more," Saren answered defiantly. "I'm not stopping until you're dead."

Kuyou chuckled. After a moment, he began laughing outright, and once again his tails began to spin. Another wall of fire spat itself out toward Saren, and the prince held up Fenrir to defend against it. _No good, I don't have much mana left to waste defending myself._ He braced himself for the impending flames, the impact of powerful demonic aura…

**-Six Months Earlier-**

Saren knew from the start the whole thing was a bad idea. Not only did he not belong in the past, he didn't particularly feel at home on Earth, either. Aselia was far more appealing to him. Earth just seemed too busy, too crowded.

Still, though, his father had insisted he stay there for awhile. His mother promised he'd have a good time. Of course, this was all based on their own experiences, having lived here themselves, in this time. His sister, Kira, claimed to have enjoyed it as well. She'd been in quite a few battles alongside their parents' past selves and acquitted herself nicely.

He told himself the only reason he finally relented was to shut his parents up. Ultimately, though, he came to see it as a test. Could he, Saren Tyndall, survive here without a link to his home? Could he prove himself worthy of being the crown prince of Aselia? It certainly warranted consideration on his part.

So it was that he found himself on Earth, precious little resources available to him. He had secured housing, his father having provided currency of the time for him. _And a lot of it, too. One of these days, I have to find out how he got so rich,_ Saren thought to himself.

He took a deep breath, trying to gather this world's scent, but found it wasn't nearly as clean and fresh as his home. On the other hand, this world was also rather rich in mana. Since there had never been elves here, there had been no use of magic.

The prince yawned as he tried to make his way through the crowd, even if he wasn't certain where he was headed. There wasn't really anything of consequence here. His parents had tried to encourage him to sample Tokyo's culture in this time frame, but… _It's too ridiculous. These people are so caught up in themselves, or else squabbling over stupid crap._

He felt a chilly wind and glanced up, but saw nothing of consequence. _Guess I'm just imagining things. I thought I felt a strange power,_ he thought. _Of course, since I left Fenrir at home, it wouldn't really make a difference. Besides, too many people._ He shrugged and kept walking, trying to ignore the feeling.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x+x+x+x

All in all, the human world was kind of boring.

No, that wasn't true. It wasn't boring at all. It just wasn't worth exploring anymore. Not since high school, but that seemed like ages ago. She smiled softly, blushing slightly as she thought back to those happy times. She'd always loved Tsukune from afar, right up until he needed her help. Then he could see the feelings she held for him. And yet…

And yet, it wasn't enough. It had never been enough, because despite all that, and despite what she'd told herself at the time, Tsukune's feelings for her weren't the same as hers were for him. Even then, part of her had known it. That was probably why she let Moka win all the time. It would've been a simple matter to use Moka's weakness to water to her advantage, but deep down she knew it was wrong.

So she'd let go of Tsukune. They'd remained close friends, even through the darkest of times. When they graduated high school, it was no surprise Moka chose to stay close to Tsukune. Even Kurumu had accepted that fact, albeit reluctantly. They'd gradually gone their separate ways, but Mizore Shirayuki had to admit, her path was a lonely one.

She'd ended up in the human world, trying to see if there might be any more humans like Tsukune, people who accepted those who were different. People who saw past their own selfish needs and tried helping those around them instead. So far, she'd been disappointed. That had never stopped her from helping those she saw, and yet she never let them know who she was. It seemed better for her that way. If people didn't know who she was, it was better for them, and better for her. It had always been better for humans to not know who she was.

She continued her day's stroll, scarcely paying attention to her surroundings. She stopped when she sensed it, though. A deep power was close to her. She prepared herself for a fight on instinct; she'd often found that the stronger the power, the more malevolent. She could see nothing out of the ordinary, though. The feeling passed her, and she shivered. _That was too intense… I haven't felt anything quite that strong since Moka's __sist__er…_

As much as she hated it, feeling that strong a power had piqued her curiosity. She turned around and tried to find it again, but the trouble was that everyone looked the same here. Well, almost everyone. There were a scant few people out and about who weren't wearing business attire of some kind. She shook her head, turning back around and following her original course. _I hope it was nothing to worry about_, she thought to herself. _Powers like that almost never lead to anything good…_


	2. Chapter 2

**[2]**

**[The Monster Realm]**

"Ruby, have you made any progress yet?" a white-robed figure asked.

"Not as of yet, Director. The only things we know for certain are that the prisoner has left campus, and taken the mirror with him," the raven-haired woman answered.

"And you're certain it's not the same culprit as last time?" the Director asked.

"No. For all appearances, it seems as though he was building strength and escaped on his own," Ruby answered.

"That's a dangerous thought." the Director said. "A vampire stealing the mirror was bad enough. A demon stealing it… it could obliterate the barrier keeping both worlds safe. We don't have a rosary to seal it with, either. Not since the last one was destroyed."

"I know that, sir. Hopefully, we'll find a way to stop it," Ruby said. "But the fact that he left campus means there's every possibility he's gone into hiding in the human world."

"Then we have to act quickly. Do you have the ability to contact anyone? Yukari Sendou, perhaps?"

"I'll do my best. I don't exactly know where she went after graduation," Ruby answered. "But don't worry. I'll get this under control."

"Please do. If the barrier collapses, none of us will be able to repair it. In that event, both worlds may be lost."

**[Earth; Tokyo]**

Nighttime fell over the city, and Saren stood out on his balcony watching it take hold. Even now, the people didn't slow or stop. More or less, they seemed to transform into a different breed. He sighed quietly as he looked down into the streets. _I have to wonder what it is my parents saw here. All these people seem driven to one form of self-destruction or another. In the daytime, they work themselves to the bone. At night, they pollute their bodies. I don't get it._

A breeze began to blow, and Saren closed his eyes and savored it. It smelled like a storm was approaching. Smirking, he climbed atop the railing of the balcony and balanced there, his arms spread wide, as if welcoming the wind. It began to grow colder after a few moments, and he opened his eyes again. He looked down and saw a purple-haired girl standing on the ground below. _That's it. It's that same power…!_

As dusk fell, Mizore found herself longing to see a moon of bloodred. Unfortunately, she'd become accustomed to not seeing the sky at all, thanks to the lights of the city. Still, though, once she got out toward the suburbs, she could see bits of it.

She began to walk out of the city, not really caring to pick a destination. She just wanted to get away, because humans were more dangerous at night than at any other time. _It's ironic, really. As children, humans are always afraid of monsters coming out at night… Then they grow up, and when night falls, they become the most dangerous creatures in existence…_

She sighed as she continued walking, keeping her sucker pinned in the corner of her mouth, making sure to watch her surroundings in case there was trouble lurking. It seemed more likely that the further she got from the city proper, the more danger she was in, but she felt she could take care of herself. The further she got from the city, the better her chances of defending herself without being seen by any humans. _And it wouldn't be the first time I've had to…_ she thought, shuddering. _I still hate that bastard…_

She thought back to Youkai Academy, to Kotsubo, the gym teacher. He had tried to take advantage of her, and she had frozen him in self-defense. Everyone began hunting her after that, because they didn't trust her. But then he came after her, he tried to apologize to her…

_Tsukune…_ she thought with a sigh. The idea of him, the way he had been, still made her blush. Even if he wasn't the same anymore, even if he wasn't strictly human anymore, he had still been her first love. Granted, that had been the case with all of her friends, save for Yukari, but it was still true for her. She'd been reluctant to give him up when he'd gone to save Moka, but she understood that it was destiny.

_It was apparent then that he wasn't destined for either of us, let alone you, Kurumu,_ she thought, smiling. She'd made a point of subtly rubbing it in to her chief rival after the succubus had managed to survive. Maybe it was because Tsukune had been transformed, and was no longer strictly the same person Kurumu had fallen in love with, but she'd managed to live on without him just fine. _Not that I'm so sure of that now. I haven't heard from any of them in the longest time…_

She started looking around, taking note of her surroundings. A breeze began blowing and she looked up, seeing a few tiny points of light in the sky. _Finally… I'm far enough away to begin seeing the stars,_ she thought. She kept walking, getting further from the city. Finally, she could look up and see the crescent moon.

_It's unusual to see it such a bright white,_ she thought. _It's actually kind of pretty. It reminds me of home…_ The snow-covered mountain village was home to all the Snow Fairies. When she'd made the decision to leave and travel on her own for a bit, her mother had brushed it off, saying Mizore was just trying to get over losing Tsukune. Mizore, however, insisted she'd just wanted to see more of the world, and not be confined to the village.

_That decision was sort of a mixed blessing,_ she thought. _After all, I've seen a little more of the human world… but it still isn't what I'm trying to find._ What she was searching for, not even she knew, but she knew that it was on this side of the barrier, not the other.

She stopped in her tracks, staring down a street corner. _Something's here,_ she thought. _I have to find it…_ She began walking down the other street, studying each of the houses and apartment buildings in turn. She glanced upward again, looking at the stars, but instead saw something else.

At one of the apartment buildings, there was a boy standing on the railing of a fourth-floor balcony, his arms spread wide. _He looks like he's getting ready to jump…!_

She walked faster, until she was standing directly underneath him. If he jumped, all she had to do was make a slide out of ice to catch him with. The thing that bothered her was, why was he standing on the balcony in the first place? She looked up at him, and a breeze began to blow again. He opened his eyes and looked down at her. Immediately, she thought, _That's it! It's that same power!_

"What are you doing up there?" she asked. "Step back, okay?"

"Huh?" he said, arching an eyebrow at her. "Oh, the railing. Sorry." He stepped backward, landing evenly on the balcony.

"Is everything okay?" she asked. "If something's wrong, you can talk to me about it."

He shook his head. "No, nothing's wrong. I was enjoying the winds. They're bringing a storm," he said. "Standing on the railing was just a balance exercise."

"Well… you should be more careful," she said. "Someone might get the wrong impression…"

"Tch. I think our definitions of being careful greatly differ," he said. He climbed up onto the railing once more, and looked into her eyes. A moment later, he leaped from the railing. Mizore was frozen in shock, and was sure the boy would break several bones at least, if not kill himself.

Much to her surprise, he landed on his feet, crouched. He looked up at her, smirking. "See? No problem," he said. "Nothing to worry about. Anyway, you're the one who needs to be careful. It's dark out, and there are all kinds of bad people around."

_Tell me about it,_ Mizore thought. _And then there's you. You're clearly not human, surviving a jump like that…_ It was then that she realized the true depth of what she was witnessing. _Strong powers, and able to land a drop like that without any injury… he's not human. He has to be a monster in disguise, at least an S-class… another vampire…?_

"Look, if it helps, I'll go with you, back to your place. Just to make sure you get there safely, alright?" the boy asked. "What's your name, anyway?"

Mizore began to blush again. "Mi-Mizore… Mizore Shirayuki…" she said. "And you?"

"Saren Tyndall," he answered. "And please don't laugh. I still think my name is stupid. Why my parents gave it to me, I'll never know."

She smiled softly. "It's okay, really… It's unique, and I like it…" she replied. "Anyway, I'll be fine on my own. I might not look like it, but I can take care of myself…"

"Alright, then," Saren said. "If you're really sure. Just hurry home, yeah? Oh, and here. So you can let me know you made it." He handed her a card with a phone number printed on it. "It's my cell phone. Shoot me a message." He turned and walked back toward the building.

When he was out of sight, Mizore turned away, studying the card in her hand. She felt her temperature began to rise, and focused on the refrigerant her sucker was releasing, trying to cool herself down. Still, though, it did nothing to stop the flow of blood to her cheeks. _He… he gave me his number… _She looked back up at the balcony where his room was, smiling in earnest as she began her slow trek back toward her own small flat.


	3. Chapter 3

**[3]**

**[Parts Unknown]**

Darkness… Absolute darkness… Slow, torturous, maddening… Finally, though, it was over. The dungeon, the academy were far behind him. _Although with this, it'll soon be a far different story. It'll be the end of that wretched place._

Breaking out of the dungeon had been one thing. After the damage he'd taken from his last battle, recovering his strength had taken quite awhile. Stupid boy… he'd gotten lucky, that was all there was to it. The human should've been dead instantly. The vampire's blood should never have worked to heal him, or give him any sort of powers. The witch, likewise. They should have burned to death in his realm, sealed away in the Floating Garden. Yet they'd been too powerful. They'd defeated him, humiliated him, and escaped, only to make their way back and imprison him.

But this time, it didn't matter. They were all gone, scattered to the winds. There was no one to stop him. He smirked. _All the power I need came to light while I was incarcerated. If I'd been able to harness it back then, this would've been over a lot sooner._

The idea was simple enough. The package he carried had unimaginable power. It revealed the true forms of those in the monster world, undoing their transformation magic. With it, he could destabilize the barrier separating the monster world from the human world. Both worlds would collide, and the fighting would ensure the destruction of both races. All that would be left then would be for him to pick up the pieces.

_A whole new world, built from scratch. All the remaining life would bow down before Kuyou. That is what I desire. That is what I will have. It's only a matter of time._ He smiled malevolently as he continued his journey north, to the weakest point of separation between worlds.

_It's going to be cold… Fortunately, I'll be able to resist it long enough. Then, when the barrier collapses, it won't matter. There'll be enough heat to blind anything with thermal vision._

Yukari jumped, uttering a squawk when the phone rang.

It had been Tsukune's idea, of course. After high school, they'd agreed to use the human devices to keep in touch, since phones had been established to work in the monster realm as well. She looked at the device she'd gotten, and noticed Ruby's name and number in the contact window.

"Hey, Ruby! How are you?" the young witch asked as she answered the phone.

"Not that good, I'm afraid," the older woman answered. "It's a long story."

"I'm sorry. Mind giving me the short version?" Yukari asked.

"The short version is… well, Kuyou's loose. He broke out of the dungeon at Youkai Academy," Ruby answered.

"Oh, wow. That is bad," Yukari said., frowning.

"It's worse than that. Before he left campus, he stole Lilith's Mirror," Ruby said.

Yukari almost dropped the phone in shock. Dealing with each of those problems by themselves had been difficult enough. But if Kuyou possessed that mirror, things were about to get that much worse. "Is… Is there any idea what he's planning?"

"He never said anything," Ruby answered. "But he must know what the mirror does, because that's the only thing he took. Yukari, I'm… I'm scared. If he starts using that mirror, the barrier…"

"I know," Yukari said. "I don't think anyone wants that to happen again. Besides, I don't know if another rosary even exists. Tsukune…"

"I know. I suppose our only blessing is that Moka's father wasn't the one to steal the mirror. Of course, I don't think he'll sit back and let this happen, but everyone gets overwhelmed at some point. Even Moka could be beaten by water," Ruby said.

"He might not sit back and let anything happen, but Kuyou was really strong. He almost fought Moka off. The only reason we won is because we all worked together," Yukari replied.

"Yeah…" Ruby said, trying not to think of the werewolf. "Anyway, can you try to get a hold of the others? I haven't been able to track any of them down."

"I'll do my best. It'll take awhile," Yukari answered. "I don't think I have Tsukune or Moka's number."

"If I can find it, I'll give it to you," Ruby said. "Just, please, hurry."

**[Earth; Tokyo]**

Saren sat back on his couch, thumbing through a book he'd picked up earlier. It was already considered a classic when his parents were young. Reading was one of the few ways he could really relax. It seemed like a rare thing to be able to do in this time, so he took advantage of it when he could. Most of his time was spend at a gym working out, so this was a chance to exercise his mind as well. _It'd be better if I had a chance to practice magic, but these humans aren't exactly ready for it yet, _he thought.

He was jolted from his thoughts by his phone vibrating on the table beside him. He picked it up, pushing through to the text message he'd received. It was from a number he didn't recognize, but he read the message and understood it:

"Made it home safe. Sleep tight. -Mizore"

He shook his head, marked his page in his book, and set it down. He snapped off a quick reply, and set his phone down as well.

Now there was a real mystery for him. What kind of power was Mizore hiding? Both times he'd been near her, the air had gotten cool rather quickly. Being in close proximity to her earlier, he'd been able to sense some sort of power from her, but he wasn't entirely familiar with it.

Ordinarily, he would've done research on the different types of powers that had appeared, but that would require Crystal Tokyo's library, and that was still about two centuries away at the earliest. It was slightly troubling how unprepared he was, but he had to make the best of it. It was a mystery that had to be solved.

He glanced at the novel he'd set down, thinking, _The kind of mystery that not even men of your time could fathom, Sherlock_. _The kind of mystery that carries implications that would have ripped your world asunder._

He sighed, feeling the need to go outside and clear his head again. He crossed to the balcony door, opening it and stepped out into the darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

**[4]**

Mizore picked up her phone when she got home, and sat on her bed, drawing more refrigerant from her sucker. _I… I honestly have no idea how to do this_, she thought. _There's the way I handled things when I was in school, with Tsukune… but is that really appropriate now? I'm older, after all… and even then, part of the fun was in the competition. Here, I have no competition…_

She stopped herself in that train of thought, realizing what she was thinking. She felt exactly like she had back then, but over time she realized that was infatuation. It could build into something more, but the truth was that right now, she knew nothing about this guy who had jumped four stories to the ground and landed without so much as a scrape. It was impressive, certainly, but most of all it represented a mystery to her. How had he been able to do it? Certainly, he had to have some sort of monster ability. And the fact that he was confident about showing it off without fear of being seen… well, that was part of a mystery about his personality.

She began typing out a message, but stopped to read it.

"Hey there, it's me. Thanks for giving me your number. It'll be good for us to keep in touch like this. There's a lot about you I'd like to learn. I wondered if maybe we could meet up sometime for ice cream."

That certainly sounded more adult on her part, but she still had misgivings about it. After all, it was entirely possible she read things wrong. He could already have a girlfriend, or even a wife at this point. He could just not be interested in her at all. A thousand different possibilities were there.

She deleted the entire message and started again.

"Hey, it's Mizore. Thanks for earlier. I'd like to keep in touch with you, and find out more about you."

She shook her head again. That was still bordering on her old self, the one she'd tried to leave behind. She decided just to go with the simplest option:

"Made it home safe. Sleep tight. -Mizore"

She sent the message and nodded. That was enough. It didn't make her sound like a stalker, but it didn't give him the idea she was interested in him, either. So in case he wasn't interested in her, it was no big deal.

Except that it was, wasn't it? She'd already dealt with that kind of rejection once before. This time was different, she had no competition that she knew of. Her mother would tell her this was the perfect chance. But… that wasn't how she wanted to do things. She'd always resisted her mother on that particular count.

Besides, they'd just met, and Mizore had absolutely no idea what Saren was truly like. It was possible he wasn't even that good a person. Or he might just be a lowly human.

She shook her head. There was no reason to have doubts, after all. They'd just met. There was plenty of time to learn more about him. And it was going to be a gradual thing. There was no way she could learn everything about him, and no reason to want to right now. She just had to be more patient.

Her phone rang, and she looked at it. It was a message from Yukari. Her eyes widened in shock as she read the message, and she dropped her arms to her sides, her hand still clutching the phone.

"Kuyou has escaped. He's stolen the Mirror. We're all in danger. Please help."

Kuyou. A fire demon who'd been the head of the Security Committee while Mizore was in school. He'd arrested all of them, all of Tsukune's friends. Tsukune had been under suspicion of being a human, and the others had hidden the fact. In truth, only Moka had known at the time, but after a long interrogation, Tsukune had finally confessed.

That was the first time Mizore could remember feeling truly broken. She'd fallen in love with a human and never even known it. The whole time, both he and Moka had been hiding it from her, lying to all their friends. But then she realized that it didn't matter, because he still had to be saved. Despite her misgivings about humans, she'd gotten to know Tsukune, and knew he was different.

Kuyou had tried to have him executed, and Mizore and her friends had saved him. It had almost cost Tsukune his life anyway; he'd been struck by Kuyou's fire magic in an unguarded moment. Only intervention by Moka, the true Moka, not the rosary-bound outer shell, had spared his life, but it had also been the first step in his transformation into a vampire.

In all truth, that battle had almost killed all of them. Not even a combined strike by Ruby and Yukari had been able to stop Kuyou. His fire attacks had instantly overwhelmed Mizore's ice wall. Even Moka was no match for him physically. Only a timely intervention by Gin had been able to slow Kuyou down long enough for him to be defeated.

But they were too far-flung to be of any use now. No one had heard from Moka and Tsukune since they graduated. Yukari was with her family, and Kurumu with hers. Gin was abroad, making his photography hobby into a career. And then Mizore was here. It was impossible they'd be able to band together again and defeat Kuyou a second time.

She shivered uncontrollably, and that worried her more than anything else. She was a snow fairy, her entire life hinged on low temperatures, which were absolutely comfortable to her. Yet this was something else. It was genuine, uncontrollable fear.

_I've still got to do something… That demon… with that mirror… everything is at stake…_

"Tell me what you need me to do. -Mizore"

She sent the message to Yukari and waited for a response. It came within moments.

"Meet us tomorrow morning on the human side of the barrier."

That was easy enough. Although, who all she meant by "us" was a new question.

Mizore opened her phone again, and sent another text message.

"I hate to ask this of you, but I need your help. Please answer when you get this. -Mizore."


	5. Chapter 5

**[5]**

Dawn crept through the curtains and the sunlight played over Saren's face. He cracked an eye open, then rolled over, facing away from the sun. Unfortunately, that brought him face-to-face with his phone. The green light was flashing on it, indicating a message.

He opened the phone's message screen and saw a text waiting for him:

"I hate to ask this of you, but I need your help. Please answer when you get this. -Mizore."

He read the message again to ensure he'd read it correctly, then his brain started to process it. He sat upright in a flash, staring at his phone. He snapped off a quick reply before getting out of bed to grab a shower and get dressed.

"What's wrong? What do you need?"

By the time he'd showered and re-entered his room, he'd gotten a reply.

"Can you meet me in an hour? About three miles north of your apartment? There's a tunnel leading under the mountainside. Please hurry."

Saren's eyes narrowed. He knew that tunnel fairly well. There wasn't anything particularly special about it, at least not in his time. It seemed like an odd request for Mizore to make.

Still, though, her need for help seemed earnest. He looked over at Fenrir, his sword. _Taking it might be a good idea, just in case_, he thought. _It'll look weird carrying it around the city, though. On the other hand, the Omni is probably worse._

Shaking his head, he ended up taking both with him. There were a few different paths to that particular tunnel, so he could move about without being seen. It was just difficult. Still, though, he'd wanted a challenge, and it looked like one just presented itself.

"Alright. I'm heading your way now."

Mizore got the message from Saren and her heart skipped a beat. _I didn't really expect him to be so willing to help. Maybe there's nothing for me to be worried about after all,_ she thought. She shook her head, banishing the idea completely. _That's stupid. Kuyou is what I should be worried about_.

She continued her own path to the barrier tunnel, wondering who all she would meet when she arrived. She hoped it was enough to make a decent stand, that was all she knew for certain. She looked around at the city, and at all the people in it. Things were going to get bad, and quickly. None of them had any idea that a group of monsters was going to try to save them.

At last, she could see the tunnel. No one else was in sight, which was slightly discomforting to her. Could something have happened? Yukari was sort of vulnerable, despite her talent for magic. She frowned. _I hope everything's alright. Maybe they're just late._

She stood at the mouth of the tunnel, leaning against the wall. She nervously checked her phone, but saw nothing waiting for her. "Gee, you'd think you'd been stood up for a date or something," a female voice said. Mizore looked around and spotted a girl with blue hair wearing a dark blue bodysuit.

"Kurumu! I didn't expect to see you here," Mizore said, smiling. "You haven't changed all that much."

"Nah, I just felt like wearing different clothes, especially since we're not in school anymore," Kurumu said. "Besides, this shows off my body a lot better, don't you think?"

"I guess," Mizore muttered. "I didn't think you were trying to use your body like that anymore."

Kurumu grinned. "Why not? I still have to find my destined one. But maybe this way, he'll come to me," the succubus answered. "Anyway, I see you're still wearing the same kinds of things, just with jean shorts."

"Why mess with a classic?" Mizore answered, returning her grin.

"Gee, don't either of you know how to disguise yourselves?" another voice said. "Your hair makes you stand out like nothing else."

"There you are, pipsqueak. I was wondering when you'd show up," Kurumu said, smirking at Yukari. The young witch gave both the other girls an annoyed look, but the older girl behind her smiled. "And Ruby. Glad you could make it too. What've you been doing since we left?"

The older witch shrugged. "It's kind of a long story," she said. "Anyway, I don't think anyone else is coming. We're probably it. I haven't been able to reach Gin."

"No, someone else is coming," Mizore said. "He should be here any minute."

"He?" Kurumu asked. "You managed to find Tsukune?"

Mizore shook her head, but before she had a chance to speak, another voice interrupted her. "Well, I have to admit I didn't expect quite this kind of spectacle," it said. Mizore looked up the hill and blushed. _He actually came!_

Saren cocked his head to the side, resting his hand on the hilt of a sword, which he wore mounted at the small of his back. "So is this some kind of convention or something, or was there something important we needed to do?" he asked.

"Who are you?" Yukari demanded.

"It's okay, he's a friend," Mizore answered.

"He's got a very deep power. I haven't felt anything like it since Tsukune transformed," Ruby said, her eyes wide.

"He's quite a hunk, Mizore," Kurumu said with a smirk. "Thanks for bringing him here for me."

"His name," Saren said, giving the women an irritated look, "is Saren Tyndall. I can't imagine you were exactly expecting me, but Mizore asked me to come. Though, now that I'm on that point, why is that?"

Mizore looked down and blushed. "I… I know you're more than you appear to be… I just… I need your help. We all do…"

He walked over to her, and tilted her chin up. "I don't mind helping you out, but you have to tell me exactly what's wrong, because there are… certain things I can't do. I have reasons for it, but I can't really tell you right now."

"Why can't you tell us?" Yukari asked.

"I just can't," Saren answered, looking back at her. "Look, you all need my help. I don't know any of you, and I just met Mizore last night. But I'm willing to trust you. You need to be able to trust me."

"It's alright," Kurumu said. "We trust you. We don't know who you are, but we're glad you came. The whole world is in danger, including our world."

"Your world?" Saren asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"That's… a long story," Ruby answered.

"Mind filling me in?" the prince asked.


	6. Chapter 6

**[6]**

Things always seemed to go from bad to worse. At least, that's what Deshi had thought for the past two years. She supposed it was karma, but she'd never put much stock in that.

Still, she couldn't help feeling that this was her punishment for everything. She'd been part of the Safety Commission at Youkai Academy, and had taken part in some of its worst offenses. And she had to admit, she'd thoroughly loved it, right up until Kuyou was beaten and kicked out of school.

_And how does that work, anyway? He's a fox demon. They're supposed to be far more powerful than almost anything else. He even gave that vampire bitch a run for her money,_ she thought. But no, that human had had to interfere. Tsukune Aono. And she'd never forgiven him, had never forgiven any of them, not even when they repaired the barrier to the human world.

Unfortunately, her anger had done precious little to serve her since. Not only had she been ridiculed after the Safety Commission was disbanded, but she'd graduated near the bottom of her class. Now she had to eke out a meager living, when she should have been able to achieve greater. She huffed impatiently, and spun her bo staff once in her hand, going back to striking the oak tree she'd been using for practice.

"You'll never beat it that way," a voice behind her said. "But of course, you know that."

She stood, petrified, as she recognized the owner of that voice. "K-Kuyou," she said, her voice beginning to tremble.

"Yes, Deshi. It's me," he answered. She turned around slowly. "I see you've been busy doing gruntwork of late."

"It's not my fault. After those little punks beat us, things haven't exactly been great lately," she said. "When one of the Four Kings is reduced to being a guard dog and the other a statue… well, it's pretty shameful."

"True. But at least the three of you were allowed to roam free. I, on the other hand, was removed from that wretched school. I spent time becoming more powerful, but I was beaten again, then imprisoned in the dungeon of that school, never to be noticed by any of you. I'd have kept rotting there, had I not tried to build my strength and escape," Kuyou growled.

"Um… About that," Deshi said sheepishly. "You see, we meant to come get you, we really did. But they put us all under a lot of scrutiny after that. We couldn't do anything unsupervised."

"Cut the crap, Deshi. It's old news," Kuyou said. "I heard about everything that happened while I was away. Even the chaos caused by the mirror. Even the near-collapse of the barrier."

"Of course you did," she said. "I mean, I wasn't trying to say otherwise."

"Good. Because I need your help. You, and our other two comrades," Kuyou said.

"What do you need us to do?" she asked. "What are you planning?"

"I'm going to destroy the barrier, once and for all," Kuyou answered. "It will be marvelous. Monsters will spill into the human world, and the humans will resist. And after all is said and done, we, the Four Kings, will emerge on top, and reshape the world in our image."

"And how are you going to do that?" Deshi asked skeptically.

"The same way it happened last time," Kuyou replied. "By using the mirror to destabilize it. And when that happens… It'll be a hell of a time."

He began to laugh, and the very sound of it made Deshi shiver.

Saren glanced around at each of the girls before him, and finally Ruby spoke up. "Okay. This may sound a little shocking, but each of us are monsters. Yukari and I are witches, Kurumu is a succubus. Mizore is a snow fairy," she said. "This world is connected to another by a barrier, inside this tunnel. The monster world."

Saren did something rather unexpected, and smiled. "This may sound a little shocking to _you_, but I'm really not surprised. This world is sort of a nexus point. There are inter- and extra-dimensional links all over the globe, not just here. But I do appreciate your honesty," he said.

"Oh," Ruby said, momentarily dumbfounded. "Well, ah, I guess all that's left is to tell you what the actual danger is, then."

"A few years ago, we were all in school together," Mizore said. "Everything was alright, except for the Security Commission, who were basically overpowered student police. The head of the commission was a fox demon named Kuyou."

"All of us fought against Kuyou when he tried to have a human friend of ours executed," Yukari said. "We beat him, though, and he was expelled. After a few months, we ran into him again. He tried again to take power that wasn't his, and when we beat him that time, he was locked up."

"But he managed to escape two days ago," Ruby said. "And he's stolen a powerful magical talisman from the Academy. The power of that talisman poses a grave threat to both monsters and humans."

"So you see," Mizore said, "I didn't have much choice but to ask for your help. A few of the people who fought Kuyou with us last time have… gone their separate ways. None of us have heard from them, and there's not a lot of time to find them…"

"I don't know what your monster form is," Kurumu said, "but I can feel the power you're hiding. Given who's involved, we're probably better off not knowing what you are. Kuyou is ruthless and he'll torture us if he catches us."

Saren nodded. "Secrecy is a wise policy in this instance," he said. "Alright, I'll help you as much as I'm able to. But if there's something I say I can't do, please take my word for it, okay? Any misstep on my part could prove as fatal to the world as anything this Kuyou can do."

Kurumu's eyes widened, but she nodded. Mizore watched him carefully, wondering what he could possibly mean by that statement. Ruby was the first one to answer. "Thank you, Saren," she said. "I'm glad there are still people here in the human world willing to help our people out."

He nodded, and said, "It's not a problem. I don't want to see anything happen to this world either. Part of my job is defending it." He turned to look at each of them in turn, to gauge their reactions. His eyes locked with Mizore's, and she began blushing, instantly looking away to avoid his gaze.

Kurumu watched both their reactions, and smirked. "Alright, then. Let's get a move on. Standing here talking isn't doing us any good," she said.


	7. Chapter 7

**[7]**

As the five of them entered the tunnel, Kurumu hung back with Mizore. "So, spill it, Mizore," she said quietly. "Where'd you find the gorgeous guy? And is he taken, or what?"

Mizore blushed more, but looked down at the ground. "S… stop it, Kurumu…" she muttered. "You shouldn't do that right now…"

Kurumu frowned. "Seriously, Mizore. What's up? Something's gotta be bothering you pretty bad if you're acting like this," she said. "I haven't seen you like this since… Wait, that's it, isn't it? You're starting to feel the same way for him you felt for Tsukune, right? And you think you're betraying Tsukune?"

Mizore didn't respond immediately. "Just… I don't know anything about Saren… Like he said, we just met last night. And I made a fool of myself when we did… I thought he was trying to kill himself," she said.

"Oh, come on," Kurumu said, exasperated. "Mizore, you're one of the most timid girls I know, until you admit your feelings for someone. Then you change into someone different. You turn into a real rival for me. That's the Mizore we like having around. You have to be more confident."

Mizore still kept her eyes on the ground. "It's not that simple, Kurumu. Falling for someone like that… like we both did with Tsukune… it's dangerous…" she said. "You and I almost tore each other apart… and even then, it was for nothing, because he still wanted Moka, and risked his life to get her back… It almost killed you…"

"Yeah, it did," Kurumu said. "But I realized he wasn't destined for me, and that's what saved me. The fact is, there is someone who's destined for me, and for you too. But you'll never find him if you keep to yourself. You've gotta go out there. And if that means Saren thinks you're weird, so be it. At least you're finding out more about him, right?"

"I guess…" Mizore muttered. "But not right now… Not while we have something important to do…"

Kurumu sighed in vexation and shook her head. _This girl's way too difficult. I'm trying to give her a break here. It's taking most of my will to resist that guy too, but I'm trying to be the adult here. And she's taking the insulated child path. That's such bullshit!_ "Alright, have it your way," Kurumu said. "I'm just trying to be a good friend to you." She picked up her pace, joining Saren and the two witches.

Mizore looked up at the four of them, and thought about what Kurumu was saying. _Maybe she'd right,_ she thought. _I should try to be more confident around people_. She watched the succubus start flirting with Saren and frowned. _Well, maybe not __that__ confident…_

She picked up the pace so she wasn't left behind by the group, coming up on Saren's opposite side. Kurumu caught her eye and mouthed "He's as good as mine" behind his head. _We'll see about that,_ the snow fairy thought.

A flash of light shone to signal they'd passed through the barrier, and they emerged on the opposite side of the tunnel. Saren looked at the surroundings and cocked an eyebrow. "Tell me the sea is just dyed red by some quirk of nature here," he said.

"Honestly, I have no idea," Ruby said. "I don't think anyone really knows. No one I've met has been brave enough to find out."

"There's a comforting thought," Saren said with a frown. "Any other natural quirks about the place I should be aware of?"

"Nothing too disturbing, by human standards," Yukari answered. "At least, not until we get to the academy."

"The academy?" Saren asked.

"Youkai Academy," Ruby answered. "Pretty much the only high school that monsters are able to attend. It helps them adjust to life as adults in the human world, since many of them only grew up among their own kind."

"That's… well, that's actually quite admirable. Part of me wishes we'd had something similar back home, millennia ago…" Saren muttered. Seeing the quizzical looks he was getting, he shook his head and added, "I'll tell you about it some other time."

"Come on, we should get moving. We have to start tracking down Kuyou," Kurumu said.

"Where are we starting?" Mizore asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Yukari asked. "Two of the Four Kings are seniors at the academy this year. If Kuyou's on the move, he may have tried recruiting them."

"I see," Mizore said. "If that's the case, we should be careful…"

Ruby led the group down the road, and Saren began to see more of the shoreline. It was steep and craggy, not at all like the smooth beaches he was used to, either on Earth or Aselia. The trees were mostly bare, as if the monster realm were in a perpetual autumn. They continued up the path through what appeared to be a rather large cemetery, and the prince began looking at some of the tombstones. Many of them were faded, or blank altogether, and he assumed they were mostly there for decoration.

The entire area had a sort of macabre sense to it, but Saren supposed it was to be expected. It would quite thoroughly discourage any human visitors who happened to find their way through the barrier, without alarming them to what actually existed here.

Ahead, he saw the academy. It had the appearance of a rather large Victorian-era mansion from Earth's history. A steel gate surrounded it, though he wondered exactly how much land this academy covered. They continued up the walk and through the gates, though there were no students or faculty in evidence. He assumed they were all in class.

"We're going to be going directly to the director's office," Ruby said. "I'm… not entirely certain how he's going to react to Saren's presence."

"No, that's fine. I'm a rather unexpected element," the prince said. "Umm… I'll wait out here."

"I'll stay with you. Ya-hoo-hoo!" Kurumu said, smirking.

Saren winced and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Never do that again," he said. Mizore giggled almost silently, and Kurumu shot her an angry glare. Saren quirked an eyebrow at them, but decided against asking what the deal was.

Ruby knocked on the door of the Director's office, and the door opened on its own. She led the way, followed by Yukari and Mizore. Kurumu hung her head out of the door and winked at Saren, saying, "Back in a minute, cutie pie." Mizore grabbed her hair and tugged her fully inside the door, which promptly shut.

Saren rubbed his eyes, trying to ease the headache threatening to form. _I could handle Mizore by herself. I could even handle her being a snow fairy. But adding a succubus to the mix, and then having the two of them fight over me… This is going to be a nuisance._


	8. Chapter 8

**[8]**

"So what was the gist of the meeting?" Saren asked as they left the campus.

"Er, basically," Ruby said, "going over what all we don't know."

"How's that again?" the prince asked, scratching his head.

Yukari sighed. "The Director wasn't able to track Kuyou. The only thing we know for sure is that the two members of the Four Kings that were still here are gone now. They vanished without a trace this morning. That's why nobody's outside on the grounds right now. They're all being kept under lockdown."

"Right, I can see where that'd be a pain in the ass," Saren said. "Four Kings?"

"They were the heads of the Security Committee," Kurumu said with a scowl. "Kuyou was the lead, but there were three others. They ended up being some of the more powerful monsters in the school, aside from Moka and Gin."

"We'd thought they were done when Kuyou was arrested, but he's managed to track them down again. Obviously he broke back onto campus to get the other two," Ruby said.

"Got it," Saren replied. "So what's our next move?"

"The Director believes that Kuyou may try to attack the barrier at its weakest point, which would be pretty far to the north," Ruby answered. "It'll probably take us a few days to get there."

"And since we're in the monster realm, we have to walk," Saren said flatly.

"Actually, more correctly, it's because none of us has a car, Kurumu's the only one capable of flying by herself, and since we're not students anymore, we can't take the academy's bus," Yukari answered.

Saren shrugged. "No big deal. Although I wish I could use a Rheaird here," he said.

"A what?" Kurumu asked.

Saren shook his head. "Nothing. Something from my home," he said. "Anyway, walking is no problem. Just need to know which way to go."

"Well, we'll head back into the tunnel. That crossroads we passed, we'll have to turn left. Then we'll be heading the right way," Ruby said.

_The north… right back to the village…_ Mizore thought. _Back to my parents… Oh no…_ "Ruby… can I talk to you for a second…?" she asked.

"Sure, Mizore. You guys go on ahead," the older witch said. Hanging back, she asked, "What's wrong?"

"We're heading north, right? On a path that'll take us more or less… well, the point is we're going to visit my village, aren't we?" she asked.

"Well, yes, that was the plan. I was thinking that perhaps the yuki-onna could have spotted Kuyou somewhere," Ruby said.

"Well… um…" she started blushing again.

"You don't want your mother to have the same reaction to Saren that she did to Tsukune," Ruby said.

"Well, pretty much…" Mizore said. "I mean… we're not… he hasn't… I mean, we just met yesterday…"

"I know, Mizore. I understand. But the thing is, they're your family. It needs to be up to you to explain things to them and to stand your ground," Ruby said. "We can back you up, and I'm pretty sure it'll go more smoothly this time around."

"Why do you say that…?" Mizore asked.

"The basic differences between Saren and Tsukune. Saren doesn't seem nearly as easily intimidated or as shy as Tsukune had been. He's also a lot more analytical and, if you'll pardon my saying so, a little colder," Ruby said. "I think your parents would be more willing to accept things this time."

"If you say so…" Mizore said. "My mother's been after me for awhile, though. She really wants grandchildren… It's part of why I've been staying in the human world for so long…"

"I understand. That kind of pressure is hard to live with," Ruby said. "But it's also part of growing up. Everyone has a point in their lives when they realize their views might not be the same as their parents. And most parents have a point when they realize their children aren't the same as them. Everyone has to cope with it. And I think you'll handle it just fine."

"I suppose so…" Mizore answered. "Thank you, Ruby…

The older witch simply nodded, and they rejoined the group. Kurumu, for her part, was keeping a respectful distance from Saren for the time being, though that may have also been because of Yukari's interference, since she was walking between Saren and Kurumu.

"Saren, your turn," Ruby said. Saren gave her a quizzical look, but the witch grabbed his arm and pulled him back to walk beside Mizore while she took his spot.

"What was that about?" Saren asked.

Mizore smiled. "I needed Ruby's advice on something," she said. "The direction we're headed… We're going to pass right through my village…"

"Ah, I see," he said. "You must be happy to see everyone there."

"Well, normally, I would be…" she said. "The trouble is, my parents will be there… And they're kind of overbearing…"

"Overbearing how?" Saren asked.

"Well… they keep insisting I bring a boy home, particularly my mother. She's tried to marry me off several times, and demands to have grandchildren…" the snow fairy said.

"Oh," Saren said, his eyes widening. "I see."

"Yeah," Mizore said. "I just wanted to warn you… Just in case my mother starts in while we're there…"

Saren smiled at her, which elicited a blush from her. "Well, I appreciate the warning," he said. "I'll do my best not to cause any problems."

She nodded and looked back at the others. "Still, though… I was kind of curious… About you, I mean…" she said. _Oh god… I sound ridiculous…_

"Well, what about me?" he asked.

"About… your family… what they're like… where they live…" she said blushing. "Things that you like… whether there's anyone… special… things like that."

"Oh," he said, his eyes widening. He wanted to answer her, certainly, but he had to phrase his answers carefully. "Umm… well, my parents live… in Tokyo. They're nice people, honestly. My mother has always been caring and compassionate, but I hear in her youth she used to like to fight a lot. She was orphaned as a child when her parents died in a plane crash.

"My father isn't… really from around here. But he's very strong, and very wise. He taught me quite a lot, about fighting, about surviving, about life itself. And then… well, there's my sister. She's nothing like me," he said, irritation becoming evident in his voice. "Where I try to calculate things, she barges in. Where I try to be reserved, she's far too outgoing. As far as abilities go, she takes more after my mother."

"Oh, wow. What's her name? Er, if you don't mind me asking…" Mizore said.

"No, it's okay. Her name is Kira. And my parents are Adrian and Makoto," Saren said. "As far as what I like, there's not much. I like to read and listen to music. My dad was teaching me to play guitar awhile back. As for your other question… well, no. There's no one 'special' in my life, per se. But enough about me."

"Er, okay…" Mizore said. "Well, my father's name is rather difficult to pronounce. He's from far in the north. My mother is from the village we're heading to. Her name is Tsurara. And, well… I don't have any siblings. I guess that's part of the reason why my mother insists on me having children…"

"I can understand that. I'm sure my parents would be the same way if I were an only child," Saren said. "What about your hobbies? Fair is fair, after all."

"Oh… Umm… Well, I like reading, too. I also write a little. I used to be in the Newspaper Club at the academy…" she answered.

"That sounds interesting," he said. "Newspapers are fairly hard to come by where I'm from. I mean, news still travels, it's just in a different format."

"I see…" Mizore said. "Well… it's ink and paper around here… Anyway… thank you for telling me a little about yourself… It… It really means a lot…"

Saren smiled softly. "Of course, Mizore. I'm sorry if the details were scarce," he said. "One of these days I'll explain to you why that had to be."

"No, it's okay…" Mizore said. "I really do understand… There are plenty of things I don't like sharing, either, like the fact that I'm… well, that I'm a monster…"

_I can certainly understand that,_ he thought. _Eight millennia ago, if anyone found out I was a half-elf, I'd have been stoned to death. And that's if I was lucky…_ "Listen, Mizore," he said. "I have no problem with you being what you are. Everyone has the right to life. Everyone's life has the same value, human, half-elf, or monster, or whatever."

Mizore's eyes widened and her heart began to race again. _That's… that's the same thing… the same thing I said at the Academy…_ She looked down at the ground as they walked, but couldn't keep the smile off her face. _He's… he's perfect…_


	9. Chapter 9

**[9]**

Kuyou sat in meditation, his legs crossed as he sat on the cave floor. The golem was outside, blocking the entrance from any intruders. Deshi and the Cerberus had gone off hunting, not that it was any of his concern. All he cared about was unlocking new levels of strength. If he became stronger, he need never be worried about what others might do to him. If only he could unlock those final forms…

When he'd fought against those children the first time, he'd been able to easily access his four-tailed form. He'd learned that there were more forms to his species, but had never been able to tap into them. Only when he was sufficiently strong would he have hope of entering his final form, and become a legendary nine-tailed fox demon.

He'd always heard tales of the nine-tailed fox demons as a child, and had been instantly enamored with them. Most of them ended rather tragically, with the demon being subdued and eventually killed by humans. He supposed that was where most of his prejudice lay. Humans should be made to pay for injustices like that.

_And pay they shall. I would never allow myself to be trapped by such miserable creatures. It would take a legion of S-class monsters to defeat me… if only I were allowed to obtain such power,_ he thought.

No, that wasn't the way to go about it. He would take it for himself. There was no "allowing" him to have anything. He would have it, one way or another. And when he did have it, things would change. Nothing would stop him.

Saren and the others reached the snow-blanketed valley over the course of the next several hours. The prince couldn't help but appreciate the beauty of it. It was as if this place had never been discovered before. _Well, strictly speaking, it hasn't. Not by humans, anyway,_ he reminded himself.

As they continued climbing into the valley, he began to take notice of the others' reactions. Mizore sighed happily, while Kurumu shivered, covering herself with her arms in an attempt to warm herself. Yukari had conjured a small, portable fire. Ruby appeared chilly, but tried not to let it bother her. _Well, at least I'm not alone in this,_ he thought. Flanoir, being close to Celsius' temple, was well-known as the coldest city on Aselia, but maybe because of its location in the mountains, this place made Flanoir seem downright balmy.

Mizore took up the lead as they got closer to the village. Saren could just barely make out wood constructs underneath the snow and ice. _They had to have been made from an exceptionally strong wood to withstand the weight_, he noted. He watched as Mizore was approached by two other figures, women dressed in white kimonos with a light blue trim. After a brief conversation, the two women returned to either side of the road, maintaining their sentry positions. Mizore turned back and motioned them all forward.

When they'd passed the sentries and gotten farther into the village, Mizore was greeted by another similarly-dressed woman. Saren noticed they shared several similarities, including eye and hair color, though the older woman's hair was longer and worn up in a braid. _She must be Mizore's mother_, Saren realized.

Mizore hugged the woman, and the others continued their approach. "It's good to see you all again," the woman said. Turning her gaze on Saren, she added, "And it's wonderful to meet you as well. You must be Mizore's boyfriend. Another human? But no... you have far too much power hidden. A monster? Maybe an S-class, like a vampire?"

"Mother, don't start that right now," Mizore said. "We really don't want to hear it."

Mizore's mother smiled at her daughter, and offered her hand to Saren. "My name is Tsurara Shirayuki," she said. "I hope you'll pardon my daughter's attitude. It's been awhile since she was home last, so she's forgotten about most of the niceties here."

"I haven't forgotten them," Mizore muttered under her breath. "I just didn't want you doing the same old crap over and over again."

Saren smiled indulgently and shook Tsurara's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Saren Tyndall. And not human, at least not fully. I have elven blood as well. We appreciate you allowing us into the village."

"Of course, dear. Our hospitality is rather popular in the monster world," Tsurara answered. "But it's getting rather late in the evening. Why don't we retire to the inn, and perhaps you could take baths in the hot springs."

The group followed Mizore's mother through the village to the aforementioned inn. There, they were divided into three rooms. Yukari and Ruby had one medium-sized room, Kurumu and Mizore had one beside them, and then Saren had one at the end of the hall. They were called back out to have dinner, and Saren looked at the spread they'd laid out. Most of it was ice-related, although there was a decent amount of sushi as well.

The prince began gathering food for himself only after the others had. Once he tried a bite of the sushi, his eyes widened. Mizore looked up at him and asked, "Is it alright?"

After swallowing the fish, he smiled at her and said, "It's wonderful. I don't think I've ever tried this particular blend of spices and sauces before."

The snow fairy blushed. "Thank you…" she said. "I actually prepared most of this myself…"

Saren nodded and continued eating. "Still, though. It's rather remarkable. I don't believe I've ever tasted anything so delicious in all my travels," he said. Mizore's blush deepened, and she didn't meet his gaze. Kurumu, on the other hand, began glaring at her. _Why is she-? Oh, don't tell me…_

They finished eating after a half hour or so, and took a break to talk about what brought them to the village. Tsurara's eyes narrowed when Mizore mentioned Kuyou's escape and the theft of Lilith's Mirror. "Surely you can't be headed directly there to meet him," she said. "Dear, it's far too dangerous."

"I know it's dangerous, mother. But we still have to stop him somehow," Mizore said. "The fate of both the monster realm and the human world hang in the balance."

"But why you? Why does it have to be you, my only daughter?" Tsurara asked.

"In truth, I wish it didn't have to be her, Mrs. Shirayuki. I wish it didn't have to be any one of these children," Ruby said. "It was already traumatic enough dealing with him the first two times. This time, he's certain to be more powerful. He may have even advanced his demon form again."

"Yeah, not exactly instilling a lot of confidence there, Ruby," Kurumu said.

"If he has become stronger, though, why can't we?" Mizore asked. "Why can we not become stronger as well?"

The others contemplated her words, and her mother looked at her. "Fine. What are your father and I supposed to do when you _do_ go confront Kuyou?" Tsurara asked. "Stay here and worry sick about you?"

"Yes, mother," Mizore said. "Same thing you did when I was at Youkai Academy. Just… we should at least try. If we don't, why bother? Kuyou will destroy all of us and that'll be the end of it."

Tsurara's eyes began to fill with tears. "Mizore… I'm only trying to look out for you…" she said.

Mizore sighed and her gaze softened. "I know, mother. But you have to remember I'm nineteen now. I have to take care of myself eventually."

"I know," Tsurara said. "I just… I don't want to see anything happen to you."

_No parent wants to see their child in danger_, Saren thought. _The very idea of someone that close to you being injured, being killed, it's enough to terrify even the heartiest of men. But the sad truth is, this is the option we're left with. I'm sure there's nothing else any of us would love more than to live our lives in peace. Well, except for Kurumu. __S__he appears to want to strangle Mizore_.

"Mrs. Shirayuki," Ruby began, "None of us wants anything to happen to anyone else. That's why your daughter suggested us trying to become stronger. If we can push the limits of our endurance, we can fare better against Kuyou." _Of course, if we could find Tsukune and Moka, we'd fare better against him as well,_ the older witch thought.

"Alright…" Tsurara said, looking down. "If you're genuinely serious about this, then you're all welcome to stay here. We'll do our best to help you in any way we can. In the meantime, why don't we all retire to the hot springs?"

They all stood, and the women headed off to their respective rooms. Tsurara grabbed Saren's arm. Her grip was as cold as ice. "Just a moment please, dear. I need to speak to you outside," she said. Saren couldn't identify the look in her eyes, and that disturbed him more than anything else in the monster world thus far.


	10. Chapter 10

**[10]**

Saren allowed himself to be led away from the inn by Mizore's mother. Once outside, she turned and confronted him. "Saren, I apologize for the way things have gone today," she said. "It has been quite a long time since I've seen my daughter. We haven't particularly gotten along the past few years. There's no particular issue at stake, we just haven't seen eye to eye on a few things."

"It's alright, Mrs. Shirayuki. I understand," Saren said. "Parents and children disagree sometimes, or even children and their siblings. It's just a natural part of life. Nothing to worry about."

"No, no, it's quite unacceptable," Tsurara said. "That said, though, what do you think of our accommodations?"

"They're quite spectacular," Saren answered. "I've never seen anything like this back home."

"Oh? Are you from the human world?" Tsurara asked. "You wouldn't be the first boy my daughter's brought home from there, you know."

"Err… well, you could say that's where I'm from," Saren said. _Got to keep cool here. Why is she interrogating me, anyway?_ He heard something behind him and instantly spun on his heel.

A yeti was approaching their inn. _How did that thing get past the sentries?!_ he thought, assuming a fighting stance. He began to track the creature's aura, but was quickly overwhelmed. _Oh, brilliant move, Saren. You can't track its monster aura because everything in this damn world has a monster aura!_ He shook his head and tried to focus more on it.

Tsurara's hand touched his arm again, and he said, "Hang on, let me take care of this."

"No, no, it's quite alright, dear," Tsurara said. "That's just my husband. Mizore's father."

"Mizore's father's a yeti?" Saren asked stupidly.

Tsurara laughed. "Of course not, dear," she said. "He's wearing a suit. He was never quite accustomed to the climate here, and he wears that suit when he goes into the wilderness for food. It keeps other predators away." As if on cue, the yeti's paws reached up and grabbed either side of its head, removing it. A purple-haired man's face lay underneath, smiling at him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," he said in a deep, quiet voice. "Tsurara, when did guests arrive?"

"A few hours ago, dear. Mizore came home. They should be getting ready for the hot springs right about now," she said. "But they're going to be staying for awhile. They have to train." She began to fill her husband in on what had transpired, and his eyes narrowed.

"I see. That does sound serious," he said. "Well, Saren, it sounds like you all have your work cut out for you."

"Just, please, promise me something," Tsurara said. "Promise me you'll do what you can to keep our little girl safe. She's all we have in the world. Please protect her."

Saren blinked several times in surprise, but nodded. "Of course, Mr. and Mrs. Shirayuki. I'll do everything I can to keep all of them safe."

Tsurara began to cry again, and barely managed to squeak out, "Thank you," before running off to the inn.

Saren stared after her for a moment, but Mizore's father tapped him on the shoulder. The small, humanoid fingertip startled him, but when he turned around, Saren saw that the man had removed one of the yeti arms.

"I'm sorry about that," he said. "Tsurara's always been a bit overprotective of Mizore. You see, Mizore's always been a little sensitive, physically and emotionally. We both worried about her. But as far as all this goes…

He sighed. "Listen, I know you're not Mizore's boyfriend. She does get attached rather easily, though. It can give Tsurara the wrong impression sometimes," Mizore's father said. "But still, you'll understand if I'm a little more skeptical about this whole thing. I would like to sit down and get to know you better. I mean, unless you'd like to have a bath in the hot springs."

"Oh, no, that's quite alright," Saren said. "I'd prefer not to indulge in the hot springs until I have a reason to. That is to say, I'd prefer to earn any rewards I get while I'm here. I have to warn you, though. There's a lot that I really can't tell you. I can't afford to have too much leak out to the general populace."

Mizore's father smiled. "Saren, you should realize I'm a master of keeping secrets. I'm not entirely sure my wife actually knows my name. On the other hand, Mizore didn't realize I wasn't mute until she was ten years old."

Saren chuckled. "Well, that… that does give me a bit of security," the prince said. Mizore's father laughed with him, and the two headed back to the dining room of the inn.

As they sat down, Mizore's father offered Saren a cup of tea. "So, tell me what it is you can't bear to tell anyone else," he said. "Tell me the true story of Saren Tyndall."

Saren sighed deeply, and looked around, making sure no one else was around. "Well, the most important thing to tell you is this. I won't be born for another three years, give or take. I'm from twenty-five years in the future," the prince said. "I was sent into this time as a learning exercise by my parents, who are presently living on the opposite side of Tokyo from my apartment.

"My father is the Dynast-King of the planet Aselia, which is roughly seventeen light-years away from here. He is technically a half-elf, as he was born human and transfused with elven blood. It was part of an experiment to allow him to use magic. My mother is the reincarnation of a princess from a thousand years ago who will regain her throne in approximately two years and four months. By extension, I am also a half-elf. I have a bit more focus on the water and ice elements, and as a result I can make pacts with the Summon Spirits of those two elements.

"I met your daughter two nights ago when she saw me standing on the railing of my balcony, practicing one of my relaxation techniques. She was under the impression I was suicidal and tried to rescue me. The next morning, she text messaged me asking for my help. Then we ended up here," he said. He began examining the other man's face for signs the man thought he was completely insane.

Mizore's father nodded. "That's a rather complicated tale," he said. "I'm not entirely sure I could believe it, personally."

Saren began to frown, but the other man smiled. "Of course, a couple of decades ago, I wasn't sure I'd be married to Tsurara. You'd be surprised at the sorts of miracles that happen here in the monster realm," he said. "Don't worry, Saren. I believe your story. And I can understand why you wouldn't want to divulge any of it to anyone. The timeline could be radically altered by any portion of it. Although, I would like to ask you one more question."

"Sure, go ahead," Saren said.

"What, exactly, are your feelings toward my daughter?" he asked. Smiling, he added, "I'm sorry, it's a question that every father has to ask, or at least a variation thereof."

Saren chuckled again and looked down. "To be honest, I haven't figured that out yet myself. I won't lie, I find Mizore absolutely beautiful," he said. "She has a mystical quality to her that I didn't expect to find anywhere on Earth, in any time. She's an absolutely astounding cook, as I found out earlier. She… well, I know you mentioned her emotional sensitivities, but… well, that's one of the things I actually find endearing about her. Not in any sort of perverted sense, but… well, my sister's always been really outgoing, and after twenty years of that, it got a little annoying."

"Naturally," Mizore's father said. "Well, I'm glad to hear that you think so highly of my Mizore. It's reassuring to find someone as earnest as you. That said, I do want to ask you one favor."

"Name it," Saren said.

"Well, as my wife said, our daughter is all we have. Please do your best to take care of her, both in training, and when you leave this village to complete your mission," the older man said.

Saren looked the man in the eyes -_eyes that are just like Mizore's…_- and nodded. "I promise you, on the kingdom I will inherit. Even if I have to lay down my life, Mizore will be safe."


	11. Chapter 11

**[11]**

Saren stood alone in the snow-blanketed plain, eyes closed and hands folded in front of him. It was a meditative pose, one that he'd tried to perfect along with his sensory abilities. Hundreds of monster auras surrounded him, but he was searching for four specific ones. There were slight permutations in them, but he knew what to look for.

His eyes snapped open as a pillar of ice shot from the ground, sidestepping to avoid being skewered by it. At the same time, a burst of magical energy threatened to send him flying, but he countered it with a quick spell of his own. He sensed another attack incoming, and barely had time to glance up before he saw a clawed hand heading toward him. He reached up and grabbed it, then pulled the lower half of his body up, attempting to kick at the claw's owner.

He broke free of the hold, completing a full flip before landing again. The prince spun around, roundhouse kicking a large, golden tub back on its original trajectory. "You're going to have to do better than that," he muttered. Behind him, a shower of ice shards was flying toward him. He turned and cried out, "Guardian!" and a green bubble enveloped him, absorbing the ice shards effortlessly.

The time it took him to disperse the barrier, though, was enough for three icy figures to swarm him. He slipped his sword out of its sheath effortlessly, holding it across his body to block the first assault by the crystalline form. He spun once, lashing out with the blade to catch another in the side, causing it to collapse. He followed the spin through completely, using another kick to knock down the third attacker. The first snared his sword arm, separating his weapon from him. He grabbed his opponent with his opposite hand, pulling his hand free from its grasp.

He pulled sharply on his opponent's arm, hauling it bodily over his shoulder and causing it to land on its back. He ducked sharply left to avoid an icy spear that had been thrust past his head, and turned to see another ice-form with rather large talons where its hands should have been. Another magical spell was coming for him, and he rolled backward out of its path. He leaped into the air again, dodging a rushing attack from his new ice-form opponent, and when he landed on the ground, he rolled forward, picking up the sword that had been stripped from him before.

_They're good, I'll give them that. They know how to work as a team, and that's good. They're not giving me any time to cast my higher-level spells, either, which is dangerous for me. I need to go on the offensive, though. _Saren quick-jumped backward, avoiding another strike from the ice-form. He brought his sword forward in an underhand swing, slashing this opponent across the chest. He advanced with a spin this time, lunging with his sword as he cried out, "Havoc Strike!" The blade plunged into the ice-form's heart, shattering it.

His airborne opponent swooped down at him again, and he leaped once more, somersaulting in midair, his sword slashing outward, as he shouted, "Tempest!" The resulting shockwave discouraged his opponent's progress as he landed once more, and he spotted one of his spell casting opponents ahead of him. Slashing his blade at the ground, he shouted, "Azure Edge!" sending a wave of bluish energy speeding toward his foe.

He felt a strong, blunt force his the back of his legs, and found himself tumbling into another golden tub. He tried to scramble back out, but found it being upended at the same time. He heard a thump and knew something had decided to sit on top of it. _That was foolish_, he thought, trying to push himself to his feet. He encountered far more resistance than he'd expected; whatever was on top of the washtub weighed about 300 pounds, in his estimate. He dropped the sword and pushed upward with more strength. Finally, he managed to lift the tub and the object atop it clear over his head.

It was a short-lived triumph; when he looked up, he was surrounded by all four of his opponents. Two had claws aimed at him, the other two had magic wands pointed at him. "Looks like you got me," he said, grinning. "Not bad, ladies." He hefted the washtub and threw it over their heads, sending it crashing into the ground behind them.

Kurumu smirked and said, "So we won, right? So what's our prize?"

Mizore frowned at her, then looked at Saren. "You took it too easy on us," she said.

"What makes you say that?" the prince asked.

"The amount of magical energy you possess," Ruby said. "When you used your defensive spell, you could have started pouring energy into that, effectively stonewalling us indefinitely."

"No, I really couldn't. My magic doesn't work the same way as yours," Saren answered. "The shield dispersed on its own, and I would've been defenseless without it."

"But you're still fast enough," Yukari objected. "You could've hit all of us before we knew what was coming. And you made sure not to use your sword to actively hit any of us, except for Kurumu."

"Look, you're right. I did take it a little easy on you," Saren admitted. "But only a little. You're all incredibly strong. And you've come a long way since we've been here."

That much, Saren knew to be a hundred percent true. It had been eight weeks since they'd entered the yuki-onna village. At Tsurara's insistence, they'd staged mock battles at least four times a week in order to become stronger. Usually, it'd be each of the girls against one another, but once in awhile, Saren put himself into the equation, teaching them new techniques and strategies. Today had been the first time they'd led the charge, coming after him without warning.

"Well, we appreciate the criticism, but we don't like you going soft on us," Mizore mumbled.

Saren sighed and looked down. "I get that," he said. "And I'm sorry. I never understood the point in critically injuring an ally during a training exercise. The way I see it, you save your real power for the real fight. Your friends can't help you if they're in the hospital because of injuries you gave them."

"But that's not fair," Kurumu objected. "We've been showing you our true power this whole time, and we've barely seen anything of yours. Lifting the pot and the totem earlier was the strongest thing we've seen out of you."

Saren looked over at her, then at Yukari and Ruby, and finally at Mizore. The anger on their faces was unmistakable, save for Mizore's, who merely wore an expression of sorrow. He looked back down at the ground, and could see each of them letting their guard down.

Without warning, he used a burst of minor wind magic to propel himself away from Kurumu, toward Ruby. He ripped the witch's wand from her hand, using it to trip her, and strike the younger witch in the stomach with the opposite end. He held the point at Ruby's throat.

"Were you expecting something a little more like that?" he asked. "Look, there's plenty I haven't shown you. I don't have any intention of hurting any of you, even if you think it will make you stronger in the end. Regenerative abilities can only carry you so far. I mean, unless you're a comic book character or something."

He reached down and took Ruby's hand, pulling her to her feet effortlessly, and handed her wand back to her. "For the time being, can we just leave it at that?" he asked.

Ruby nodded, and behind him, he heard Kurumu and Yukari say, "Alright." He looked back at Mizore, who wouldn't meet his gaze. Wordlessly, he began to lead them back to the village.

Mizore stuck close to his side, while the other three women trailed behind him. "Hey…" she muttered. "Are you okay…?"

He frowned. "I'm fine," he said. "When I agreed to help you train, I thought I'd serve mostly as an instructor. Even that frustrated me, though, because everything I do comes naturally to me. I don't have the same native talents you do, so I can't really show you how to use your own powers better. I didn't expect to be forced into combat against you, though. I don't want to hurt any of you."

"I understand that, Saren," she said. "But the thing is, we know what to expect from Kuyou. We know how strong he is… or at least, how strong he was the last time we fought him… And we can only get stronger by actually fighting… by none of us holding back…"

"I know," Saren said. "Still, it's not easy for me. I have to say, though, that all of you worked together quite well."

She smiled softly. "I'm glad you think so. One of these days, we'll get to see what it's like to work with you," she said. "I'm still curious to see your other powers."

Saren didn't want to respond. In truth, many of his powers had still never been witnessed on this planet before, despite his father's actions in the past. "I'm sure you will soon," he said somberly. "More than you really ever wanted to."

They kept walking in silence. Snow began falling around them, merely a light dusting. Mizore looked up at the sky and sighed. It was always so peaceful here in the snowy village when the weather was like this. She smiled, and absentmindedly brushed against Saren's hand.

The prince looked at Mizore, confused. _With the snow falling like this, it's almost like I can see the real Mizore shining through. _He turned his gaze back forward, letting his hand brush against hers in response.

They returned to the village, and began taking baths or showers in rotation. Saren finished his bath, but felt a residual ache in his muscles. He decided to take Tsurara up on her offer and indulge in the hot springs.

The half-elf strolled to the spring, towel clutched in hand, and set it on a stone near the edge of the water. He removed the robe he wore, leaving himself clad in a pair of shorts he'd borrowed from the inn. The cold air brushed his skin, raising his flesh, but the feeling subsided as he slid into the hot water. Saren breathed a little more easily, and turned his gaze skyward. Clouds predominated the night, with only little rips here and there where stars shone through. _It seems like bad weather is on its way,_ he thought to himself. Then he remembered where he was, and realized it was probably quite normal for blizzards to come and go here.

As he contemplated the differences between the three worlds he'd experienced, the human and monster worlds, and his own world of Aselia, the half-elf began sliding out to the center of the otherwise unoccupied spring. He drew deep breaths and felt his body begin to relax, and let his feet slowly rise from under him. He lay on his back, weightless in the water, staring at the sky. It was the single most peaceful moment he'd had since starting on this little adventure.

Mizore looked out from the bedroom she'd been sleeping in, doing her best to keep out of sight in case someone happened to peer toward her. She'd rarely had an opportunity like this, and if she knew Saren, she'd never be able to spy on him this easily again. She'd tried to resist, to put it behind her, but there were some times where opportunities demanded one's attention when they presented themselves. This was one such occasion.

She'd smiled as he walked from the inn to the spring, somehow confident in his own skin, not at all how Tsukune had been. The half-elf didn't seem at all afraid of anyone or anything here, least of all her. It was... a relief, if she were honest with herself. She'd met men who were jumpy, shy, and awkward, and then men who were overbearing, aggressive, and mean-spirited. Saren knew how to strike a delicate balance, to be firm and gentle, to be strong and still compassionate. Even now, she was getting a glimpse into his nature, an inner aspect of his personality he kept locked away.

She blushed as she watched him set his towel down and quickly divest himself of his bathrobe. The lean form his clothes concealed was laid almost completely bare before her, which was something she definitely was not accustomed to. She watched him slide easily into the water, and released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Before long, he was away from the edge, floating easily in the center.

The minutes ticked past, and before Mizore was really aware of it, almost a half hour had gone by. The only reason she'd known it had been so long was because of the dimming of the lights in the hallways. Her mother liked to lower them when it got later in the evening, leaving only the faintest glow for patrons to make their way to and from the bathroom in the middle of the night.

All this time she'd been watching, and Saren was still floating in the middle of the hot spring. "Shit!" she muttered to herself, and leaped out the window. If he'd been out there for that long, exposed to such high temperatures, he'd probably passed out by now and drowned. Still, she had to try to save him.

She crossed the lawn between her bedroom and the hot spring at a sprint, diving in without bothering to remove her kimono. The hot water threatened to scorch her, but she easily used her power to drop the temperature, leaving ice in her wake. As she reached Saren, the half-elf's eyes snapped open in surprise and he splashed into a half-standing position.

"Mizore!" he yelled. "That's cold!"

She blinked at him in confusion, and said, "You're alive?" _Brilliant, Mizore. You have any idea how stupid that sounded?_

"Huh? Of course I am!" Saren answered. "What, you... Wait, you thought I was drowning?"

"Well, I didn't see you come back to the edge or get out of the spring, so I..." _Crap, now he knows I was watching him this whole time. Idiot!_

"You didn't see..." Saren frowned and immediately reached for his towel, fashioning it around his shoulders like a cloak, paying no mind to the tail of it ending up in the spring, whose temperature was still in constant conflict. "What did you assume happened?"

"Well..." Mizore began, sheepishly. "I thought maybe you'd overheated, being out here. I was afraid you'd passed out, and being in the middle of the spring, you'd drowned or something."

Saren covered his eyes with his hand. Mizore noted that, in the absence of a glove, he'd wrapped a bandage tightly around it. _He must've hurt himself sometime recently. Why didn't he say anything...?_

"You thought I overheated in the water," Saren repeated.

"Right," she answered.

"Even though I knew how hot the water was, and I've already proven my resistance to extreme temperatures on both sides of the spectrum," the half-elf continued.

"Oh," Mizore said, blushing again.

"And knowing that I have elven blood, which changes my physiology and gives me protection from harsh elements," Saren added.

"I understand, Saren," she muttered, her eyes falling. "I really do. I guess I just forgot."

He sighed. "You forgot." She looked back up at him, and was surprised to see a smirk on his face. He chuckled for a moment, and said, "Well, it's sweet of you to worry about me, but I'm alright. We should probably think about heading back inside, though. This towel's wet, your clothes are wet, and it's about to start snowing again."

Mizore blushed again as he took her hand, leading her up and out of the hot spring, and back toward the inn. He left her at her door, returning to his own room to dry off and change. She entered her own billet, quietly wondering just how stupid she could possibly be.

When Saren left his room again, freshly dried off and clothed in his normal attire, he was surprised to find the hallways deserted. _Surely I didn't take that long,_ he thought. He passed the rooms the girls were staying in, and instead went outside again. The snow was still falling, but that made it seem all the more peaceful. His breath froze as he passed from his mouth to the open air, and he felt the chill wind on his skin. _It's a good thing I do have elven blood; these temperature changes would make me sick as a dog._

He saw something odd in his peripheral vision and began looking around. As he looked into the sky once more, he was left nearly breathless. The snow in the sky had begun refracting light, creating an aurora over his head. He sat down on a bench, and watched the phenomenon in awe. _I never saw anything like this back home_.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Mizore asked, making him jump slightly. She wore a fresh kimono, and smiled as she sat beside him, looking up at the aurora as well.

"It's incredible," Saren said. "One of the most beautiful things I've seen."

Mizore blushed and looked down at the ground. "It's… one of the most beautiful things I've seen too… Auroras don't happen that often here, maybe once or twice a year…"

Saren looked at her, and frowned slightly when he noticed she was looking at the ground. _I wonder what's on her mind,_ he thought. _Hope she's not still upset from earlier._

Mizore looked up and her eyes locked with his. She blushed deeply, and started to look away again. She felt herself jump a little when his hand touched hers, the leather of the glove cool on her skin. "Saren… I meant to ask. Why do you always wear that glove? And only one glove, not two?"

He frowned, his eyes looking to the side. "It's… It's part of the mystery in my past," he said. "Something I can't really reveal. But suffice it to say, it's the reason I can fight."

She smiled and looked back at him. The two of them stared at one another for a few moments, then turned their gaze skyward once more. Mizore leaned over on Saren's shoulder, and her hand grasped his. Saren felt a smile creep across his face, too, as they sat beneath the twisting, colorful, beautiful sky.


	12. Chapter 12

**[12]**

Kurumu was still awake when Mizore returned to their room. She looked up at the snow fairy and saw she was smiling. _Last time I saw her that happy was when she first joined our group at the academy. Maybe this is a good thing for her_. She could remember all too well how suicidal Mizore could become. Kurumu had had to save her at one point on her own, when Mizore had been assaulted and almost raped by Alucard, then under the guise of Miyabi Fujisaki, a businessman in the human world. Mizore had foolishly thought the assault made her impure, and unsuitable for Tsukune. Kurumu had convinced her otherwise, but only just.

_And now she's head over heels for another guy,_ the succubus thought. _Let's just hope this one isn't gonna run off with a vampire, too. I mean, it sucks because that means I can't have a good shot at Saren, but… well, dammit, I respect Mizore far too much. And I don't want us to have the same kind of rivalry our mothers have._

"So what took so long?" Kurumu asked. "You were gone a pretty long time after your bath."

Mizore blushed. "Oh. Umm… I was just… looking at the stars outside… They're really pretty tonight…" the snow fairy answered.

_Right, like I believe that_, Kurumu thought. "Oh, I see. You could happen to see the stars through the thick snow clouds," she said aloud. "Did you happen to see Saren anywhere?"

"Err… yeah, he was outside, too. I told him he probably needed to head in before it got too cold," Mizore answered. Strictly speaking, it was true. She'd really said that to Saren, but not until they'd been sitting outside watching the aurora for an hour. She smiled as she thought about it, sitting beside him, holding his hand. In all honesty, there was a part of her that wanted to sneak into his room later, but she knew her mother would either forbid it, or worse, encourage their immediate marriage.

"Anyway, listen…" Mizore said. "I just want you to know, there's nothing between me and Saren. Not yet, anyway… So you don't have to worry about the same kind of argument for right now… I know you've been getting mad at me whenever he shows me any kind of favoritism… I can't help it…"

"You know what? Forget it," Kurumu said, holding her hand up to stop the snow fairy talking. "Saren's not my type anyway. I mean, the worst I'd do is feed off of his sexual energy, but even then, I doubt there's much of it. He's cold as a fish. I think he's the only man who ever was. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was gay."

Mizore worked her jaw slightly, wishing she had one of her refrigerant suckers on hand. "He's not… He just has other priorities…" _Not that I necessarily know what those are, but… well, I'm sure that's all it is…_

Kurumu shrugged and smirked. "Yeah, if you say so," she said, waving away the comment. "I've just never met anybody able to resist a succubus before. Even Tsukune fell for me at first sight."

Mizore looked at the floor. "Look… I didn't say anything to start anything… In fact, the only reason I said anything to you was so we could avoid a fight…" she said.

Kurumu frowned and got up from her bed, tilting Mizore's chin up when she got there. "Hey, chill out, Mizore. I was trying to make a joke. Everything's alright," she said.

"I'm sorry…" Mizore said. "I've been trying to hide it for two months… I didn't really want to come back here, because of my mother… Especially with Saren being with us… And then when you started talking about him like that…" She swallowed, trying to catch her breath. "Look, after Tsukune and Moka left… well, you're my best friend… I don't want anything to change that… But at the same time, Saren…"

"Relax, Mizore," Kurumu said. "I'm not jealous, okay? I promise. I've known for a long time how you felt about Saren. I still don't entirely trust him, and if he hurts you, I'm gonna rip his junk off myself. Because you're my best friend, too."

Mizore smiled slightly, and hugged the succubus. "Thank you, Kurumu… I'm sorry I'm being so emotional tonight…" she said.

"It's no problem," Kurumu said. "Now, do you want to tell me what _really_ took you so long after your bath?" Mizore started laughing quietly, and the two of them continued talking for a while longer.

It would be another two days before Saren and the others left the village, but they weren't all going the same way. "I've been summoned back to the Academy by the Director. He believes he has an idea where the two students that vanished have gone. Yukari wants to go with me, so I'm taking her along. I'll see if I can get a way to track the three of you so we can meet up again later," Ruby said.

"Take care of yourselves," Saren said. "I'm not sure what your recuperative powers are like, so I don't know if you're at full strength again or not."

"We'll be fine," Ruby said. "The three of you need to take care of each other as well. Promise you won't do anything reckless."

"Well, we'll try," Saren said. "No promises, though. If we run into the Four Kings…"

"Then do your best to get away without causing a problem," Ruby said. "And we'll be with you as soon as we can."

The two groups parted, with Ruby and Yukari heading south, and Saren, Mizore, and Kurumu heading farther north. The path to the far side of the mountain range was more treacherous than Saren expected, but Mizore managed to cross it without much problem, and Kurumu simply flew over the more difficult parts.

Finally, they were clear of the mountains, back in a forested area. "That's a little more like it," Saren said.

"Hmm? How so?" Kurumu asked.

"This forest, the trees and water here. They remind me of one of the forests in… in my home," Saren answered.

Mizore took a good look around. Truth be told, she'd never been on this side of the mountain range before. She'd seen forested areas in the human world, but never appreciated how beautiful they were. Things were tranquil and, she imagined, a little more comfortable for Saren and Kurumu. _So this place reminds Saren of home…_ she thought. _If that's true, Saren's home must be a wonderful place…_

Saren walked along the river's edge, occasionally stopping to run the fingers of his ungloved hand through the water. Kurumu watched him curiously while Mizore looked on with a smile. Her expression turned to surprise as a few tendrils began to rise from the water, intertwining themselves. She felt a small amount of power radiate from Saren, and realized he must be controlling it. _Wait, so he can control water as well…?_

"Whoa, that's awesome!" Kurumu said. Saren's concentration broke, and the water returned to the river. Mizore frowned, slightly irritated with Kurumu for disrupting Saren's magic. Kurumu seemed to realize what she'd done, and muttered, "Oops… sorry…"

"It's fine," Saren said, his face expressionless. "I wasn't really trying to do anything major anyway. We should keep moving."

Mizore and Kurumu both frowned, but followed quietly. Mizore slowly began to increase her stride, trying to walk beside Saren. When she finally was, she said, "So you're capable of controlling water as well."

"…I have some control over it," Saren said. "I actually have minor control over several elements, but I have more control of water, and even more of ice."

"You… you're kidding," Mizore said, her eyes widening.

Saren shook his head. "There's no particular reason, it's just what I advanced in the most quickly. The other elements give me trouble."

"I see…" Mizore said. "I've never heard of anyone being able to manipulate other elements, aside from witches and the like."

"My father has more skill with the other elements than I do. He can use some pretty advanced magic," Saren answered.

"Your father sounds like a great man," Mizore said. "I hope I get to meet him someday…"

Saren stopped walking, and Kurumu nearly bumped into him. "That… well, that may not be possible," he said. "It'll be a long time before even I get to see him again, or the rest of my family for that matter."

"I'm… I'm sorry…" Mizore said. "I… I didn't realize…"

"It's fine. They sent me to Tokyo for training, to learn how to work better with people in such a strange environment," the prince said. Winking at Mizore, he added, "I think I'm doing alright with that, anyway."

Mizore smiled and blushed. "Y-yeah… I think you are too…"

"Come on," Saren said. "We still have plenty of ground to cover until we get to the barrier's weakness."

"You're right…" Mizore said. "We have to move quickly to stop Kuyou…"


	13. Chapter 13

**[13]**

"Director, you sent for us?" Ruby asked, bowing.

"Ruby? What are you doing back here? I thought I sent you to the north," the Director said.

"Well, you did. But we received a message from you two days ago," Ruby said. "It was sent right to us at the inn in the yuki-onna village.

"I had no idea you were going to that village. Even still, you should have been long gone from there," the Director replied.

"We stayed for some intensive training," Ruby said. "You mean you had no idea…?"

"No, you never said anything about stopping at the yuki-onna village, or anywhere near it. I was about to send a party after you, since I had not heard from you in two months," the Director said.

"Oh no… then if you didn't send a message to us… This is bad… Yukari! We have to get back to the others!" Ruby said.

"Wait, Ruby," the Director said. "I actually do have some news for you. The two students who went missing. The night they disappeared, there was no struggle. The entire scene was staged."

"Yes, sir. I have a bad feeling everything has been staged," Ruby said. "Kuyou may be laying a trap."

"Yes, but for whom?"

"Possibly for Moka. And yourself," Ruby said. "You were responsible for defeating Kuyou both times, and for his arrest. You brought down Fairy Tale's leadership. He may have tried to separate all of us in order to take us on in smaller groups. The fact that a letter arrived for us at the inn of the yuki-onna village means that he may be targeting Mizore first."

"I see," the Director said. "Then it may be her fate to die at this time."

Ruby shook her head. "You know… you know I can't believe that," she said. "I'm astonished even you would say such a thing, with your history."

"Whether you believe it or not isn't important," the Director said. "Stopping Kuyou's mission is. You must get back out there."

"Right away, sir," Ruby said. She turned on her heel and left immediately, Yukari following her closely.

Kurumu grabbed Saren's jacket, pulling him to a stop. "Wait a sec, guys," she said quietly. "Something's here with us."

Saren glanced back at her, then closed his eyes. _She's right. There's a fourth energy __trailing behind__,_ he thought. _It's following us from a distance. _"Stay sharp," he whispered. "It'll be right on top of us in a second."

Something struck a tree, slicing into it. It began to fall on top of Kurumu, but the succubus moved away before it could injure her. Saren pulled Mizore out of the way as well, and they each turned back to look around the tree for their foe. They found her, standing on the trunk of the tree she'd cut down.

"Deshi Deshiko," Kurumu said.

"Kurumu Kurono," the red-haired girl answered. "Mizore Shirayuki. I see your skills haven't dulled. And who's this handsome boy you've brought with you? Another human pal?" Saren noted the disdain with which she said the word "human."

"He's none of your concern!" Mizore shouted, stepping in front of him.

"Ooh, getting defensive, aren't we?" Deshi said. "Snow queen finally get herself a boyfriend? I heard what happened between you and Miyabi. I can't believe anyone would want you after that."

Mizore felt her heart sink, and her posture slouched a little. She heard Kurumu shout, "What?! You bitch!"

Saren glared at Deshi. "Stop talking," he commanded. "You're being spiteful toward one of my friends and I don't appreciate it."

"And just who are you, barking orders to one of the Four Kings of Heaven?" Deshi asked.

Saren gave her an even stare. "Could be I'm nobody important. Could be I'm not some high and mighty monster like you. But I am this girl's friend, and the things you're saying about her are unjust and uncalled for. Apologize, or I'll make you beg for mercy."

"Come get some, then," Deshi said, smirking. She leapt from the trunk, advancing on Saren with her bo staff.

Saren had his sword out in a flash, stepping around Mizore as if in a dance. His sword caught the staff, blocking it effortlessly and pushing it back. Deshi whirled the staff around, striking at Saren's opposite side, but the swordsman twisted his upper body out of the way. "Kurumu, get Mizore," he said. He'd noticed the purple-haired girl collapse to her knees, visibly shaken. Kurumu wordlessly flew toward her, wrapping her arms around the snow fairy.

Deshi swung her bo staff with more force, and Saren's sword rang with the impact. "How sweet. Trying to take care of your little girlfriend," she taunted. "You don't realize you're all dead meat."

"Unlikely," Saren said. "We have a numerical advantage, as there are three of us and one of you. While you might have advanced in power and skill since you left the Academy, Mizore and Kurumu have as well. You and I have never met before today, and therefore you have no idea how deeply my power runs. Given that history has recorded that the Four Kings of Heaven are defeated by a pair of witches, a succubus, a snow fairy, and a vampire, it is logical to deduce that your own power is still less than Kurumu and Mizore's. I have personally seen that power demonstrated, and still bested them. Your decision to attack us was a foolish one."

_What the-? Who the hell does this guy think he is?_ Deshi thought. _He's continuing to block my attacks like they're nothing, but he's not trying to do any damage to me._ "Come on, shut up and fight, you little chicken shit!"

"Your funeral," Saren said coolly. He blocked her next strike only partially, allowing the force of it to carry him backward. He slashed his sword at the ground, crying out "Azure Edge!" A blue shockwave sped toward the girl, which she somersaulted to the side to avoid. Her momentary break in concentration was enough for Saren to slide to the same side, on a diagonal course to her own. By the time she got to her feet, Saren knocked her down again with the hilt of his sword. He spun once, lunging his sword at the girl, calling out "Havoc Strike!" The blade of the sword struck her in the back, and she grunted in pain.

"Dammit. You're better than I gave you credit for," Deshi said. "Fine, I'll take care of you in my monster form." She raised her hands, her body glowing red. The human skin exploded, revealing a body with white eyes, wearing flowing ceremonial robes and a hat, with what Saren recognized as an ofuda over her forehead.

_A Jiang-shi_, he thought. _Well, that's definitely interesting…_


	14. Chapter 14

**[14]**

"So, human. Do you see what you're up against now? Do you see my true form?" Deshi asked. "Do you fear me yet?"

Saren's expression deadpanned, and he resheated his sword.

"What's wrong? Giving up already?" Deshi asked. "Kurumu, you and Mizore need to choose better friends. This one's too much of a puss."

Saren crossed his arms, and the succubus looked up at him. "Seriously, Saren, what's up? We're not giving up, are we?" she asked.

The prince shook his head, and looked at Deshi again. "Deshi Deshiko. Jiang-shi, otherwise known as Kyonshii or zombie. Superhuman strength and pain resistance. Undead, meaning slow movements, stiff limbs. Unable to maintain fluid combat. Reliance on strength, but only in close quarters. Greater reliance on fear of reputation. Particular weakness to fire magic, or to removal of ofuda seal. Decapitation also an option," he said in a cold voice. "But instead, I think I'd rather… toy with you for a bit."

Kurumu's eyes widened in shock, while Deshi's expression morphed into one of anger. "How dare you-" She began moving toward Saren, but his analysis had proven correct. She was far slower in this form than she'd been in her human form, and Saren had no trouble dodging her attack.

Deshi growled, and began moving back toward him again. Saren walked backward, out of her reach, leading her to the river. "Get back here, jackass!" she shouted. "Get back here and face your fa- oh, no you don't!" She spotted where he was leading her, and turned around. "If you're going to run and play in the water, I'll just go destroy your friends instead!"

Saren watched as she began moving toward Kurumu and Mizore. Both women got to their feet, but Saren shook his head. He began channeling mana, pouring it to the ice element. "Ice Tornado!" he shouted. A funnel of ice began swirling around the Jiang-shi, lifting her from the ground and pulling her back toward Saren.

"What the… what the hell's going on?" Deshi demanded.

"I said I was going to toy with you for a bit. I can't do that if you're attacking my friends," Saren answered. "I understand that since you're resistant to pain, the Ice Tornado spell isn't hurting you."

"It's still cold as shit!" Deshi shouted.

"Too bad. I can make things hot, or I can just kill you outright. But I'd much rather find out what you want, and where the other three Kings are," Saren said.

"Why would I tell you anything like that?" Deshi asked. "It's not like you can torture it out of me."

"You're probably right. I could always track down one of the two students that disappeared from the Academy, though, and torture it out of them. Personally, I'd rather not waste time tracking them, not while I have you right here."

"Well, I guess you'll have to, then, because I won't tell," Deshi said defiantly.

Saren rolled his eyes. "Fine… I tried to do this the easy way," he said. He shot toward the Jiang-shi, wall-kicking from tree to tree to stay out of her range, and when he was behind her, landed a powerful kick at the back of her head. Her arms reached around to try to grab him, but he snatched them both in relatively short order, pinning them around behind her back.

He rushed forward, pushing her to the river, and sent her splashing down into it with a kick. He began channeling mana again, and said, "Icicle!" He poured the ice magic into the river, freezing Deshi in place.

"Dammit, let go of me!" she shouted.

"Not until you tell us what you're here for," Saren said.

"Saren, let's just leave her here," Kurumu said. "I think she has the message that she can't face you on an even keel."

"Come on, Saren," Mizore said quietly. "Please, let's just go."

Saren looked back at the two of them, then back at Deshi. Sighing, he said, "We've got more important things to do right now. You'll thaw out, maybe in a couple of hours."

"Screw that," Deshi said. She started struggling, and finally managed to crack the ice that had formed around her. She broke free after a minute, and clambered back onto shore. "Now, then. Are you going to listen to the cowardly snow bitch and walk away, or do we finish this."

Saren glared at Deshi, and drew his sword again. "Keep it up," he said. "One more word out of you that doesn't tell us what we want to know, and I'll play football with your head."

"Fine… Fine, I'll tell you. Kuyou's going to use Lilith's Mirror to destabilize the monster world. The barrier collapses, and both sides go to war again. Then he takes over when the dust settles. It'll be glorious," she said. "But first, he has a number of scores to settle with the people who humiliated him in the past. He won't just settle for them, either. He's out for blood, and he wants a lot of it. More blood, I dare say, than a vampire would even want."

They heard a distant explosion, and Deshi began laughing. "Looks like the fun's already started!" she said. "I certainly hope that wasn't anyone you know."

Saren bared his teeth and thrust his sword directly through Deshi's ofuda. His sword ended up sticking out the back of her skull, and the ofuda caught fire where it had been destroyed. He pulled his sword away and resheathed it, then looked at the others.

"That was… That was the direction of the village…" Mizore said. "Mother… Father…!" she took off at a run.

"Wait, Mizore!" Saren shouted, and he and Kurumu started running after her. _I hope she's wrong. I hope it wasn't the village… please let it be anything but the village…_


	15. Chapter 15

**[15]**

Saren ended up in the lead heading back into the mountain pass, but he knew in the back of his mind there was no way to get back to the village in time. They'd already traveled too far. _There's still got to be something we can do… Maybe the villagers were able to evacuate._

Kurumu and Mizore followed as closely as they could, but despite the treachery of the path, Saren kept moving farther ahead. "I don't… understand… how he's moving so fast…" Mizore said, surprised to find herself out of breath.

"No idea," Kurumu said, having to fly to keep up. "I guess he was right. There's a lot of his power we've never even seen him tap. Even the cold of the mountain doesn't seem to be slowing him down. Either that, or his blood is being replaced by adrenaline."

_Have to keep moving. The village is burning, I just know it is. Can't believe we got lured into a trap like that. I'm so stupid!_ Saren thought, barreling up the mountainside, barely giving a thought to his safety. _I shouldn't have screwed around so much with the Jiang-shi._

No, that was stupid. Taking so long with Deshi hadn't caused this, and even if he'd finished her quickly, they would've kept heading north, further away from the village. It didn't make a damn bit of difference. _This was always going to happen._

The prince slowed down his climbing rate, giving Mizore and Kurumu the opportunity to catch up. He began to smell the smoke from the explosion. "Saren, hang on!" Kurumu called out. "What're you planning?"

That was a critical question. Right now, he didn't have a plan. It was clear this would start as a rescue operation, trying to establish any survivors possible, but it was also possible this would simply deteriorate into a recovery operation. _Not that I even know whether snow fairies would leave corpses_, Saren thought grimly. "I don't know just yet," he called back. "I have to get a better look at things."

Kurumu flew up beside him. "Well, you need to start thinking of something quick. At your rate, we'll be able to see the village in about five or ten minutes," she said.

"I know that," Saren said. "Look, I may need to ask for your help. It's possible things in the village will be pretty gruesome, and I'm gonna want you to keep Mizore away so she won't be in danger."

Kurumu shook her head. "I can't promise that. We can put out the fires where we see them, and make it safe for her. But I won't be able to hold her back, because I'm going in with you."

"That's a stupid decision, tactically speaking," Saren countered. "Just… keep her out of my way."

Kurumu was honestly a little shocked at his attitude. The way Mizore talked about him, he was the perfect man, caring and kind. Yet the fight with Deshi, and even now, showed a different side of him. He seemed… well, cold. Almost robotic. And telling her her decision to accompany him was stupid? Just where did he get off?

They began to reach the hidden path into the valley, and Saren picked up the pace again. Kurumu saw exactly how bad it really was.

The whole village was aflame, several structures having already collapsed. A few snow fairies were strewn about, crawling through the snow, trying to escape. "Oh god… it's horrible," the succubus muttered.

Saren looked into the village, as far as he could. _This isn't going to be pretty_, he thought. He began channeling mana, converting it to the water element, and cried out, "Aqua Edge!" Several blades of water materialized and launched themselves into the flames, dousing a few of the smaller fires. Kurumu came up beside him, giving a huge beat of her wings, trying to use the wind to put out the fire.

Mizore climbed to the top of the path behind them, and let out an anguished cry. She began running toward the village, not caring about the fire. Saren, looked back and saw her, catching her mid-run and holding her in his arms. "Mizore, stop!" he said, struggling against her. "You can't go in there, it's too dangerous!"

"Let me go, Saren. Let me go or I'll freeze you where you stand!" Mizore said.

"Kurumu, get in there. Air evac if you can," Saren called out to the succubus. He didn't need to add, _If there's anyone left_.

Kurumu took off, and Mizore kept struggling against Saren. "Please, Saren. You have to let me in there," she said. "My parents… my parents are still…"

"Mizore, listen to me. I know you want to find them. Kurumu will try to save them, but you have to stop this," Saren said. "Listen! I promised your parents… I promised them I'd keep you safe, you hear me? I promised them!"

Mizore looked up at him, tears filling her eyes. "You promised…? But… when?" she asked.

"The night before we started training," Saren said. "Two months ago. Your father and I had a talk. He made me promise." Mizore shuddered in his arms.

"Saren!" Kurumu shouted from overhead. "There's a small group of villagers, they're trapped! We have to hurry and get to them!"

"Mizore, listen to me," he said. "I want you to stay here. If anyone tries to get out of the village that's not one of us, and not one of your people, you have to stop them, okay? You have to prevent them from escaping."

"A-alright…" she said. She refused to meet his gaze.

"You have to promise me not to enter the village until one of us comes to get you," Saren said. She didn't say anything, merely nodded. Saren released her from his grip, and got to his feet, heading into the village.

It took careful precision for him to avoid the more dangerous parts of the village, but he made his way inside to where Kurumu found the few survivors. _Just as I thought, Mizore's parents aren't among them_, he thought. He began clearing out a path for them, moving chunks of burning wood and debris for them escape.

They fled, thanking him in passing, and Kurumu landed beside him. "It looks horrible, doesn't it?" she asked.

He nodded quickly, then asked, "Did you see Mizore's parents anywhere?"

Kurumu shook her head. "The inn's been completely burned to the ground. It was probably the first place hit. Which means that whoever did this…"

"Had a very specific target in mind," Saren finished. "I don't like this…"

He heard something moving through the rubble, and turned to confront it. Around the corner of a smoking building, a canine snout poked out, followed by the rest of the head. Then another, and a third. Finally, the rest of the body came into view. "A Cerberus," Saren noted.

"One of the Four Kings," Kurumu muttered. "What the hell did you bastards do this for?"

The three-headed dog began to laugh. When it spoke, its voice came out as a harsh growl. "Lord Kuyou ordered us to strike at those who had defied him in the past. Finding Gin has proven difficult, and none of us are foolish enough to go tracking down a pair of vampires. But this village… Well, it was a perfect target. The snow fairy's parents are here, aren't they?"

Saren's eyes narrowed. "These people are innocent. They had no involvement in whatever happened to you. Striking at them proves you are without honor."

"Oh, stow it," the Cerberus snapped. "You don't get a right to speak. You're not even a monster. Just some low human. I can smell your blood from here, even over all the smoke."

Kurumu's fingernails extended into sharp talons, and she prepared to fight the mythical beast. "Don't talk to him like that! And don't think you're gonna get away with this. You're in deep shit!"

"Awww, what's wrong? It's not like we burned down your village. Then again, finding and killing a few succubi oughta be fun," the Cerberus said.

"You think so?" Saren asked, holding a hand up to stop Kurumu from going after him then and there. "You know, one of your buddies seemed to think I was a weakling human too. Deshi, wasn't it? But she ended up thinking a little differently when I killed her."

The Cerberus barked out a laugh. "You killed Deshi? Impossible. She was by far one of the strongest Jiang-shi I've ever met."

Saren smirked malevolently. "Not strong enough, evidently. You'll find her body by the river, on the northern path away from this village," he said. "Well, you won't. Someone else will. You're not leaving this place alive."


	16. Chapter 16

**[16]**

"Hurry, Yukari. We don't have much time left," Ruby said. She led the younger witch along the path they'd made, trying to get to the village before something catastrophic happened. She'd known that with the trap having been sprung, it was only a matter of time before Mizore and the others were placed in danger.

"But Ruby, wait! We don't even know what's happening!" Yukari said.

"I know," Ruby said. "But something bad is going to happen. I can feel it. I'm surprised you haven't seen it yet."

"I know. I keep trying to use my fortune telling, but I only ever come up with smoke," Yukari said.

"That's why we have to keep going," Ruby said. "The smoke is an omen. Something bad is about to-"

They heard a distant explosion, and saw a plume of smoke begin to rise. The two witches were temporarily frozen, but Ruby shook it off. "We have to go," she said.

They picked up speed, and after a short time, they could see the source of the smoke. "Oh no!" Yukari said. "That's…"

"The yuki-onna village," Ruby said. "It's being destroyed."

"But… Kurumu and the others!" Yukari said. "You don't think they…"

Ruby didn't say anything, but increased her pace. Yukari followed close behind. _I hope not, Yukari. I hope everyone's alright. But the force of that explosion… nothing can be ruled out…_

They reached the outer edge of the village, and saw how bad the devastation truly was. The inn they'd stayed in had been completely destroyed. The hot springs had been smashed. The training grounds were wrecked. And in the midst of it all, stray snow fairies ran, fleeing for their lives.

Ruby managed to catch one, and asked, "What's happened here? What's doing this?"

"It was… There was a Cerberus… a three-headed dog, y'know? And he was carrying some jar filled with fire. He walked up to the inn… and threw the jar at the wall," the villager said. "We have to get out of here!" He ran, and Ruby and Yukari shared a glance.

"We have to find the others. I'm sensing a strong presence here somewhere. Power far stronger than I've sensed before," Ruby said.

They ventured farther into the village, and Yukari looked up, saying, "Look, it's Kurumu!" The succubus was circling a small area, as if marking where someone was. Then she landed abruptly, and Yukari began sensing something else. "I feel it, Ruby. That strong power."

The two witches made their way carefully into parts of the village that were still on fire. They used magic to put out the flames where they were too dangerous. Finally, they approached the area they'd seen Kurumu marking.

"Look, it's Saren," Ruby said. "That must have been the power I was sensing."

Saren looked positively livid. He'd drawn his sword already, and was glaring at the Cerberus. The three-headed dog said something, and charged him. Saren quickly rolled out of the way, coming back up on his feet and launching his Azure Edge at the beast. It struck, causing it to howl in pain.

Saren muttered something and the beast turned back on him, rushing again. "This is ridiculous," Yukari said. "How is he managing to toy with that Cerberus?"

"I don't know," Ruby answered. "But he's barely using any of his power to do it. And I think that's the part that scares me the most."

Saren twisted his sword around once after using his Azure Edge against his opponent. "What's wrong? Finding out the hard way three heads aren't better than one?" he asked. The three-headed dog turned and attacked him again, but he stepped out of the way once more.

Kurumu, to her credit, did not try to interfere. She could only stand back and watch as Saren fought the monster, one which had given her so much trouble two years ago. She watched the dog beast continue its fruitless assault on Saren, and watched Saren nimbly avoid it.

"Why don't you stop running away and fight me?" the Cerberus barked. "Or are you afraid of me, a true Alpha?"

"I just don't want to get drooled on from three different sides," Saren answered. "But if it's a fight you want, then here." He began charging mana quickly, converting it into a water-type spell. "Aqua Laser!" he shouted. A finely-honed beam of water formed and fired itself at the Cerberus, striking it in the heart.

The Cerberus growled, but Saren was already gathering mana again, this type shifting to an ice-type attack. "Ice Tornado!" the prince cried, and a swirl of ice shards enveloped the monster, lifting it into the air and shredding its fur. It landed back on the ground, just as Saren began casting another spell. "This will be the last one," he said, "before I kill you. Absolute!"

At first, nothing happened, and Kurumu wondered if Saren had messed up on his spell. But then she saw the patch of snow the Cerberus was standing on close upon his legs, trapping them like teeth. Ice shards began to form again, gathering together on a center: the Cerberus itself. Millions of shards encased the beast, forming into a large crystal. Without warning, the crystal exploded, sending the shards flying again and slaughtering the beast along with it. She stood frozen, rooted to the spot, somewhat horrified by Saren's display of power.

Ruby and Yukari managed to work their way through the debris, and she went to meet them. "Mizore should still be on the outer edge of the village," the succubus said. "Did you find anything out?"

Ruby shook her head. "We know the inn was the first place hit. Honestly, I don't know that there's any way…"

Kurumu understood. "Saren, are you coming?" she asked. The prince nodded solemnly and sheathed his sword. When he came up alongside her, she lowered her voice so the witches wouldn't hear. "We're going to have a talk later, and you're not going to like it."

They found Mizore precisely where Saren had told her to wait, still on her knees. Saren went to her side, kneeling beside her. "Did you find out what happened…?" she asked.

Saren looked down at the ground, and said, "One of the other Four Kings, the Cerberus, attacked. He said they were looking for you specifically."

"And my parents…?" Mizore asked. She knew she didn't want to know, but she had to. Ruby laid a hand on her shoulder, and she looked up.

"The Cerberus attacked the inn first. According to a witness, he had some sort of magic fire on him, probably Kuyou's. He used it to destroy the inn. Mizore, I… I couldn't find your parents anywhere," the witch said.

"Then… then they're gone…" Mizore said. "They can't be… they can't be dead!" She screamed, sending out a burst of energy that sent the others flying, even Saren.

The prince landed, eyes wide with shock, and saw Mizore floating in midair, surrounded by a cyclone of ice. He knew he hadn't cast the spell on her, so it had to be something she was doing herself. _She__'__s trying to… oh no… _"Mizore, stop!" he shouted, getting back to his feet. "You have to calm down!"

"What's she doing?" Yukari asked.

"I've only seen this once before. Her mana's beginning to overload. If she doesn't stop, she'll destroy herself," Saren said. He tried to get closer, but Mizore glared at him, her eyes glowing blue, and she blasted him further backward.

"Why didn't you save them?" she asked, her voice not sounding at all correct. "Why didn't you come back and stop them from being killed? I have nothing left. Nothing left to live for!"

"That's not true!" Kurumu shouted, keeping level with her by flying. "All your friends are here with you! We still need you here!"

"No you don't… I'm just a burden. I'm emotional baggage you could do without," Mizore said.

"Mizore, stop!" Ruby said. "You don't know what you're saying!"

Saren gritted his teeth, but heard a voice whisper to him. _Please, save my daughter…_ He stepped forward, and Mizore blasted him with ice again. He blocked the brunt of the strike, forcing himself onward. "Mizore," he said. "I'm not going to let you do this to yourself. I refuse to."

"Why? Why are you even going to bother? You're all better off without me!" she said. "I know I'm unstable. I know I'm unclean. Even Deshi knew about what Alucard did to me."

"And none of that matters to me!" Saren shouted, pushing onward. He stood at the edge of the cyclone, buffeted by the extreme winds. "None of it matters, because I know who you are! I know the real you!"

"No you don't! You can't possibly!" Mizore said. The wind picked up, threatening to send Saren flying again.

He forced himself forward, standing directly in the vortex. "Mizore, please," he said. "Come back down here, and we can grieve together."

"Why should I?"

"Because I need you!" he shouted. The wind was too intense, he couldn't bear to talk anymore, to explain himself further. Instead, he staggered forward until he was directly underneath her, and jumped. His arms wrapped around her, and his added weight threw her off-balance, breaking her concentration. Both of them fell to the ground, but Saren managed to shift enough that he hit first, with Mizore landing on top of him. After a few moments, he helped the snow fairy to her feet, though her knees were still shaking.

When he looked at her, she was crying in earnest now. "Why… why did they have to suffer… why did they have to die…?" she asked between sobs.

"It was because we wanted to protect you," Tsurara's voice said. Mizore looked around, and saw a crystal image of her parents standing in front of her.

"Mother… you're using an ice clone? But then you're still…" Mizore began.

Tsurara shook her head. "No, my dear. Your father and I are no longer of this world," she said. "Think of this as… an afterimage. A snow angel, if you will."

"But then how-"

"We don't have enough time here," Tsurara said. "Just know that none of this was your fault. When the Cerberus arrived in the village, he wanted you. Your father and I managed to hide your whereabouts from him, and he became enraged. He began setting the inn on fire, but still we would not betray you."

"We had to make sure you were safe," Mizore's father said. "You are all that we have left in this world. We could never allow you to come to harm, no matter what it cost us. And in the end, it still didn't cost us everything, because you still live on."

"But you have to use this life," Tsurara said. "You cannot throw your life away in sadness, but instead live your life to the fullest."

"But, mother… I…" Mizore began.

"Hush now, dear," Tsurara said. "And listen to me. I'm going to tell you something now, and I want you to believe it with all your heart: I am so proud of you, my daughter."

Mizore felt tears well up inside her again, but she could not speak. She heard her father's voice again: "Mizore, never once think you are not worth it. Never once believe you're not good enough for anyone. If you ever begin to doubt it, remember who is with you, and remember us. Goodbye, my beautiful, beloved daughter."

"Saren," the apparition said, getting the prince's attention. "Please continue to keep your promise to us."

"I will," Saren said, feeling a sting in his eye. "I swear upon my life, upon my world. I will keep the promise I made to you."

The apparitions smiled and began to fade away. Mizore reached out to touch them, but they were gone. She began crying again, almost collapsing to the ground, and Saren wrapped his arms around her once more. She cried on his chest, icy water soaking through his jacket, but Saren would not let go.

Kurumu, Ruby, and Yukari could only watch in silence as their friend sank in despair, not knowing what to do or say. _I never would've thought I'd see this day. I never hoped I would,_ Kurumu thought. _Whatever your promise was, Saren, I hope you can keep it up. I can't bear to see anything else happen to Mizore._


	17. Chapter 17

**[17]**

Saren laid Mizore down in the bed, kissing her forehead, and stood back up.

The snow fairy had cried herself to sleep in Saren's arms after her parents faded away. He had carried her out of the village, and pressed on to the next closest village, Ruby, Yukari and Kurumu following close behind. The innkeeper had had no objections to letting them stay, and had quickly set them up with rooms.

Saren left the room Mizore would share with Kurumu, and found the succubus standing outside. "Right," he said. "You… wanted to read me the riot act about something."

"Well… Not really," Kurumu said. "Sorry, I guess with Mizore's parents… well, with them gone, there's not really a good time for it right now."

"There's probably not going to be a good time for it until this is all over," Saren said. "You might as well get it over with right now."

Kurumu nodded, and the two walked out of the inn. "Well, first of all, I want to thank you," she said, once they were far enough away. "Taking on the two Kings of Heaven… well, they gave us a lot of trouble in school, and you saw how Deshi got into Mizore's head like that."

"It's fine. I'm going to ask you about that when you're done, so you know," Saren said.

"Fair enough," Kurumu said. "But right now, I want you to tell me several things. I want to know who the hell you are, how you have that kind of power. You've got almost as much power as Tsukune did when he transformed, if I had to guess. I want to know where you come from. And I want to know what promise you made to Mizore's parents."

Saren sighed heavily. _Setsuna's going to kill me…_ he thought. Finally, he took a deep breath and said, "This is going to sound strange. I'm… I'm from another world. Not the human world, not the monster world, but another world altogether. A long way from Earth. I'm neither monster, nor am I fully human. My species is classified as half-elf."

"Half-elf?"

"I was born to a half-elf and a human," Saren said. "My mother is from right here, on Earth. My father came here from our homeworld of Aselia."

"What, you mean like space travel?" Kurumu asked.

"More correctly, an inter-dimensional gate. Remember, I told you Earth was a nexus point?" Saren said. "Ours is one of those gates.

"My elven blood gives me the ability to use magic, and because of some particular quirk, I've grown stronger in the elements of water and ice. I can also summon a being known as a Summon Spirit, an extremely powerful elemental," Saren said. "These abilities are still relatively unknown, so I've had to hide them as much as possible. There are still things I'm going to hide from you, because I have been strictly forbidden from revealing them. But you have to trust me."

"Why? Why do I have to trust you when even now you're going to keep things from me?" Kurumu said.

"Because Mizore's parents do," Saren said. "I did tell Mizore's father everything. He swore to keep my secrets. He… he ended up taking them to his grave… And in exchange… He… He made me swear… Made me swear to protect her… to keep Mizore safe."

Kurumu's eyes widened when she saw Saren begin to break down. She immediately grabbed his arm, hugging it. "I didn't realize. I'm so sorry. I had no idea they'd asked that of you," she said. "I didn't know your power, and so I questioned it. I questioned your real intentions because of how ruthless you seemed."

"No, it's fine," Saren said, regaining his composure. "You were right to question me. You know nothing about me, and I know precious little about any of you. I only know that you're trying to avert a catastrophe, and that goes hand-in-hand with my mission here. Which I also can't tell you about."

Kurumu nodded. "Well, since you told me that, I guess it's time I kept up my end. But you have to promise you won't tell Mizore I told you. Not a word."

Saren nodded. "Agreed."

Kurumu sighed. "Alright. A few years ago, you know, we were all at Youkai Academy together. We made friends with Mizore pretty easily, and then a little bit afterward we fought the Four Kings of Heaven," she said. "After that, we ended up on break for the summer. Mizore went home, but she was kidnapped.

"The person that kidnapped her called herself the Snow Goddess, and told Mizore she had to marry someone named Miyabi Fujisaki. He was from a group called Fairy Tale, a sort of monster mafia dedicated to attacking the human world and conquering it. Well, in truth, he was a super-ancient vampire named Alucard, who'd cloned himself into a humanoid form. Anyway, Mizore refused to marry him, and he got mad. He assaulted her, stopping just short of raping her."

She saw Saren's eyes grow wide in anger, and she held up a hand to forestall any comment on his part. "When we found her… well, she was suicidal. She formed a spear of ice on the ground below the tower she was being held in and tried to impale herself on it. I managed to save her, just barely. Keep in mind that she was still deeply in love with our friend Tsukune at that point. She was under the impression that being assaulted by Alucard had ruined her, that she wasn't 'pure enough' for Tsukune anymore.

"That's what Deshi said that caused Mizore to collapse in the woods," Kurumu said. "Alucard almost made Mizore destroy herself, until I saved her. That's part of the reason I haven't interfered between the two of you."

"Interfered?" Saren asked, cocking an eyebrow.

She sighed. "I'm a succubus. It's part of my ability to seduce men and feed on their sexual energy," she said. "But my mission in life is to find one particular man, my destined one, my 'mate of fate', and fall in love with him. That's the only way I can live. I'd thought you might be a target, but I saw the way Mizore kept looking at you. You might be oblivious to it, but she's in love with you, and she's got it bad."

Saren nodded. "I see," he said. "Well…"

"Look," Kurumu said, cutting him off. "I don't mind you being around Mizore, and I understand your promise to her parents to take care of her. But she's lost Tsukune, she's lost her parents. The thing with Miyabi still haunts her. Now you're going to make me a promise, and I'm going to make you one. You have to promise me that you're not going to break her heart again. Because if you do, I promise that I will personally kill you."

"Fair enough," Saren said. "Although I do have one more question."

"Just the one?" Kurumu asked.

"If you're looking for a man, and he's supposed to be your 'mate of fate', but you end up choosing him... well, is it really fate?" the half-elf asked.

Kurumu rolled her eyes and huffed. "Shut up."


	18. Chapter 18

**[18]**

Mizore's eyes opened slowly, and daylight was pushing through the window. _It's hot…_ she thought, reaching absently in her jacket pocket for her sucker. She popped it in her mouth and closed her eyes, letting the refrigerant lower her body temperature. She sighed heavily, then opened her eyes again. She got up out of bed -_I'm not even sure how I got here- _and left the room. She padded out to the lobby of the inn, and found Saren sitting there, reading a book.

She sat down beside him, and he set the book down. "Hey there," he said, smiling. "You feeling alright?"

"I guess…" she muttered. "Where are we"

"About four miles away," Saren said. "It's all we could walk while I was carrying you."

"I'm sorry I was such a burden…" Mizore said, looking away.

Saren shook his head. "You weren't a burden. I can understand your feelings," he said.

"Really?" she snapped, glaring at him. "You can understand what it's like knowing you can never see your parents again? Knowing you were powerless to save them?"

Saren looked down. "Yes, actually. I do know what it's like, at least partly. I always have that thought in the back of my head that I'll never see them again," he said. _There's always a possibility I can't go home._

Mizore looked at his expression, and heard the pain in his voice, and knew it had to be true. "I… I'm sorry…" she said. "I guess I'm just…"

"I know, you're upset," Saren said, tentatively putting a hand on hers. "I understand. It's okay."

"If you say so… Anyway… how long… how long have I been asleep…?" Mizore asked.

Saren frowned. "About three days," he said. "We were getting worried about you, but Kurumu said you'd be alright."

Mizore shook her head. _Three days… I've never been out that long before…_ "I'm sorry to worry all of you…" she said.

He smiled. "Don't apologize," he said. "We were holding off until you woke up."

"For what…?" she asked.

"The memorial," Saren said quietly. "We… we all want to pay tribute to your parents, to those who died in your village. It's… it's something we all talked about and agreed on."

Mizore looked down at the floor again and smiled, albeit somewhat bitterly. "Th… thank you…" she said quietly, a tear forming in her eye again. She gave Saren's hand a squeeze, and leaned on his shoulder again.

Kurumu came down the hall and saw them in the lobby. Her face broke into a smile, both because Mizore was finally awake and because she was with Saren. _Right where she belongs right now, I think_. She walked up behind them and hugged the purple-haired girl around the neck. "There you are. We were worried about you."

Mizore's smile grew as she placed another hand on the succubus' arm. "I heard. I really appreciate it, you two," she said quietly. "I'm sorry I worried all of you so much. I just… I've lost everything."

"We know," Ruby said, coming down the hall now. "I still remember what it was like, both when my parents died, and when Tsukune pointed out my old mistress had died. I went mad with grief and attacked everyone. I didn't care about living anymore."

Mizore nodded. She looked at Saren, and mouthed, "I'm still sorry."

Saren smiled and shook his head, giving her hand a squeeze. _It's okay._

"We should probably get something to eat. I'd imagine you're hungry," Ruby said.

"Okay… but first, we need to go back to the village," Mizore said. "I need to see if I can find my box."

"No need. Kurumu went back for it right after we got here," Saren said. "She explained it to me." The box, which was full of dry ice, was how Mizore kept her body temperature down while she slept. Saren had understood how critical that would be, and had let Kurumu go back for it.

"Thank you," Mizore said. "Had anyone gone back there?"

Kurumu shook her head. "I didn't see anyone, but the fires had all been put out. Someone's been through there. I could've just missed them," she said.

Mizore nodded. "I understand…" she said. "I can't imagine anyone would want to go back there so soon, after what happened. Many of our people were killed…"

"But the question remains, do you want to go back?" Saren asked.

Mizore thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Now is not the time. I… I want to hold a memorial for my parents, but now is not the time. We have to stop Kuyou, to stop this before it starts. No one else needs to suffer like this."

Ruby nodded solemnly. "It is your decision, as their only survivor," she said. "That means we must all work harder."

"Let's get moving. We can take the fight to Kuyou," Yukari said.

Kurumu nodded. "It's time he paid for everything he's ever done."

"All that remains now is finding him," Saren said. "Did your source give you any new information?"

Ruby shook her head. "All we know is that Kuyou headed north. That appears to be where the weakest point of the barrier is."

Saren nodded. "Then we keep running north. Any idea what's up that way?" he asked.

"Not really. There's probably trolls further up in the mountains," Kurumu said. "Maybe more yuki-onna."

Saren frowned. That didn't bode well. By his count, there were still two Kings of Heaven out there, one of them being Kuyou himself. Then there was the problem of who _else_ Kuyou might have recruited. There was no telling how badly the deck was stacked against them. The fact of the matter was, as long as Kuyou had Lilith's Mirror, he could prove extremely dangerous to all of them.

"We'll do the best we can with what we have," Mizore said quietly. "I'm trying to get better, it just might take a while. But I want to stop him too…"

Saren nodded. "It's okay, Mizore. We've still got some time left," he said. "Right now all we're doing is regrouping. We just happen to be moving north at the same time."

"Thanks…" Mizore said. "Look, I'm going to work hard. I'm not going to hold you guys back…"

"We know," Kurumu said. "Nobody's saying otherwise. We all know better. Even Saren." She smirked at the swordsman, who returned it with a grin of his own.

"We should get going then," Ruby said. "The sooner we find him, the sooner we can put an end to this."


	19. Chapter 19

**[19]**

"Come on, little man. Come get me," the monster said. Saren narrowed his eyes, but refused to move one way or another.

They'd pressed farther to the north, traveling two days away, and encountered a bit of a roadblock. A troll had taken up a post at the only road to the north, which ran right through a trader's outpost, and had refused to move unless one of two things happened: One of the women went on a date with him, or the man fought him and won.

_This is a waste of time_, Saren thought, annoyed. _This guy's being a jackass because he doesn't want to go somewhere else and let people through. I hate people like that._ Nonetheless, he'd agreed, because it seemed the most expedient method.

Unfortunately, the troll had instituted two rules against the prince: No weapons, and no magic. Saren rolled his eyes, but handed his sword off to Mizore, who stared at it in awe. Personal defense had never been a problem for Saren, he just preferred using magic because of the tactical advantage it presented. The sword he had had actually been given to him by his father, and he had cherished it appropriately.

He assumed a transitional posture, committing to neither attack nor defense. He gave off an appearance of indecisiveness in doing so, which had led to the troll's impatience. He rocked from one leg to the other, practically itching for a real fight.

The troll lunged forward, trying to smash Saren with one large fist, but the prince slid backward, grabbing the fist in his hands and slinging it past him. The troll staggered forward, but didn't fall. _No surprise. Some strength in the lower body, but not enough to stand his ground properly_._ It's a start, knowledge-wise_. Saren continued his analysis as he fought, and it changed the shape of the fight continuously.

The troll turned to face him again and snarled. "Come on. You've gotta strike at me sometime. You can't just keep dodging me," he said.

"Technically, I can, so long as you decide to attack me," Saren said. "I will admit you are a daunting foe, rather large in stature and muscle mass. However, the added muscle mass adds too much weight. As a result, I can move a lot faster than you."

"But that's… I mean… shut up!" the troll shouted, punching the ground, causing it to shake.

Saren kept his balance, albeit barely. _Okay, so this particular area probably isn't great for fighting him. I need to end this quickly._ He charged the troll, ducking between his legs and appearing behind him. The prince struck twice at the back of the troll's legs, aiming for tendons. The troll stamped backward, trying to crush Saren, but the prince was already dancing out of the way.

The troll turned to Saren and swung one of his massive arms at him. Saren backflipped over the arm, and ran at the troll. He leaped up, planted his left foot in the troll's chest, and landed a powerful kick in the troll's head with his right foot. The troll rocked, stunned, as Saren dropped to the ground effortlessly.

The troll roared, ripping a sapling up out of the ground, and swung it at the prince. Saren jumped over the tree, but the troll swung it immediately backward, catching Saren on his descent. The swordsman flew backward, slamming into a tall, thick oak. _Shit. That didn't feel good._ He pushed himself back to his feet, analyzing his injuries quickly. _Median impact to spinal column, ability not impaired. Primarily superficial tissue damage to epidermal layers._

The prince looked up to see the tree swinging at him again. Instinctively, he brought up his right arm to block the blow. The tree slammed into his arm but didn't break. It was still young and supple enough to bend. _Impact to right arm and right forearm._ _Minor damage._ Saren shook off the strike, and said, "That all you've got?"

In retrospect, this was the wrong thing to say. The troll, having seen the tree didn't break with the impact, began swinging again and again, lashing Saren with the tree repeatedly. In between blows, Saren managed to raise his right arm, taking the next impact against his ribs instead.

Saren immediately wrapped his arm around the sapling and pulled, yanking the tree from the troll's grip. "You lose," he said.

"What does that mean?" the troll shouted. "I was kicking your ass!"

"We agreed not to use magic or weapons, correct? And despite that, you used the sapling to injure me," Saren said.

"What, you're gonna cry like a little baby about it?" the troll said. "Is that it? You gonna cry?"

Saren rolled his eyes again, tossing the sapling aside. "Shut up and admit you lost," the prince said.

"No! You wussed out," the troll said. "You couldn't take that I changed the rules on you, and-"

The troll's speech was cut short. Saren had struck again, running up the side of the oak he'd landed against previously, and had rebounded off it to kick the troll in the head again. The second blow knocked the troll unconscious, and it fell to the ground, landing at roughly the same time as Saren.

Mizore, Kurumu, and the others ran up to him afterward, expressions of awe on their faces. "I'm really surprised," Kurumu said. "I didn't think you'd be able to beat him by yourself.

"Are you alright?" Mizore asked. "You took a lot of good hits with that tree…"

Saren smiled at Mizore, and tried to raise his arm, but winced. _Right arm injury, severity to be determined. Right side ribs bruised, potentially cracked. No broken bones. No difficulty breathing, no internal injuries._ "I've been better," he admitted. "Troll hit harder than I thought."

Mizore's face fell. "I'm sorry… You shouldn't have had to fight him…"

"It's fine," he said. "It's nothing I couldn't handle. It was his fault anyway. If he was less stubborn, we'd be past here by now. Don't worry about it."

"We'll have to stop and take rest here tonight," Ruby said. "It's already far too dark, and we've been traveling nonstop for a couple of days. Plus it'll give Saren a chance to heal."

"I'll be fine," Saren insisted.

"We're stopping here," Kurumu said. "We all need to rest, even you, Saren." _You can't keep your promise if you're exhausted and your body's broken._

The prince looked around at the others, and finally sighed. "Alright," he said. "We'll rest here."

Ruby led them into the outpost, but the innkeeper revealed a new problem. "There are only two rooms," she said. "We usually have three."

"Well, that's alright," Saren said. "You ladies take the rooms. I'll make other arrangements."

"No," Ruby said pointedly. "You're taking one of the beds to recover from your wounds."

"There's really no point arguing with Ruby," Yukari said. "It's just easier to give in."

"So explain how we're going to sleep?" Saren deadpanned. "The four of you in one room is going to get ridiculously crowded."

"That's true, but Yukari's still rather small, so we can have one more person in our room," Ruby said.

"Can it be Kurumu?" Yukari asked. "I'm not sure I could sleep with the ice box in the room."

Mizore blushed and looked down. "I can do without the ice box tonight…"

"No, it's fine," Saren said. "You can sleep in my room and keep the ice box. And the bed."

"But you'll be freezing on the floor…" Mizore said.

"My body is a lot more adaptable than you ladies seem to believe," Saren pointed out. "The cold temperatures in the yuki-onna village didn't bother me, since I'm more acclimated to the ice element. I can handle a night with an ice box."

"Fine… but you're still taking the bed…" Mizore muttered.

Saren opened his mouth to object, but found it blocked by a tarot card that had adhered to his mouth. "Don't even think about arguing," Ruby said. "That's final."

Saren snorted out a sigh, and the tarot card disappeared. "Fine," he said. "Let's just get some rest…" _I suppose it works out better for me anyway. I can keep an eye on Mizore and make sure she's alright_.

The group got settled into their respective rooms, and Mizore had managed to acquire a sleeping bag to put in the floor of her and Saren's room. She set the icebox up at one end and crawled into it. "Goodnight, Saren…" she said, blushing as she rolled over. _I can't believe we're actually sleeping in the same room_…she thought as she drifted off.

Saren watched her sleep for a few minutes, then crawled out of bed. He dropped down to his knees, unzipped the sleeping bag and scooped the snow fairy up in his arms delicately, trying to resist the urge to grunt in pain as he did so. He picked her up off the ground and set her gently in the bed, moving the ice box against the wall beside her. Then he laid down in the sleeping bag himself, zipped it up, and closed his eyes, regulating his breathing so he could slip into a meditative state and begin his healing process. _They'll all probably be pissed at me for it, but it doesn't matter. It's not right to make a girl sleep in the floor when there's a perfectly good bed for her. Just not the way… a man's supposed… to behave…_


	20. Chapter 20

**[20]**

Mizore's eyes opened slowly, and she realized she was laying on a far softer surface than she'd been when she laid down initially. She looked around the moonlit room, and found Saren on the floor, his body completely straight and rigid, his breathing steady. Beside the bed, the icebox stood open, keeping the room chilled. Mizore sat up in bed and leaned against the wall, studying him.

_He's… certainly unique. He's a lot stronger than Tsukune ever was as a human… but he doesn't let it go to his head as much… He knows how desperate the situation is. He thinks through his moves before he makes them. He has just as much heart as Tsukune, though, and always works to protect his friends. Even when I feel at my lowest, my most worthless… he put himself on the line to save me…_

Mizore frowned. _But he never told me why. I know he made some kind of promise to my parents, but… was that it? Was it just a promise to keep me safe? Is that the only reason he stopped me?_ She shook her head. _No, cut it out… I've gotta be more positive. He's not so cold to just do something because he was told to… There has to be a reason…_

Deep down, she knew the reason. She'd seen it in his eyes and his attitude multiple times. But of course, he'd never said anything. Neither had Tsukune. But she still knew he wanted to. Not out of the same sense she'd had in high school, nor the same attitude. No, this was deeper. This was almost out of a psychic sense.

_Or maybe it's because… Because I love him too?_ Mizore thought. She almost lashed herself for admitting it, but something held her back. _Why… why is that? I shouldn't be thinking about that, but I am. I… I might've said it a lot in high school, but looking back I didn't mean it. At least not this way… I actually… I actually do love him… _

She felt tears welling up again, but she was not sad. She looked at the sleeping Saren once more and smiled. _He's so peaceful right now… like he's trying his best not to move, even while he's asleep… He's… so cute…_

Mizore crawled off the bed and padded over to where Saren slept. She knelt beside him and put a hand gently on his ribs. He didn't move at all, which she took as a good sign. _If he was still in pain, he'd feel it even in his sleep_, she thought. She laid down beside him and curled up against him.

_Sleep well, Saren. I'll be the one watching over and protecting you tonight…_

Saren woke up to find a dull weight pressing on his ribcage. _What's wrong…? Did the meditation go wrong? Hard to breathe…_ he cracked his eye open and saw… purple. _Purple…?_

He forced his eyes open and got a better look. It was still fairly dark outside, but he could see well enough by the moonlight. He carefully examined the splotch of purple he'd seen, and realized what it was. _Purple hair_…He looked up at the bed and saw it was empty. Mizore had gotten out of bed and crawled to be next to him in the floor. _Stubborn girl_, he thought, smiling. He moved his right arm gingerly- pleased that the pain in his arm and ribs had gone- and shook her gently, stirring her from slumber.

"Mmmm...? Wha's wrong?" she asked.

"You're not in bed," Saren answered. "Where I pretty specifically placed you."

"I wanted to sleep with you," the snow fairy answered.

"It's not necessary. Of course, it's not really appropriate in the first place, but that's neither here nor there," Saren said.

Mizore cracked a sleepy smirk at him. So he wanted to play the noble hero? She knew how to respond to that. She'd seen Kurumu do it dozens of times. "It may not be appropriate," she said, "but it's what I want. To lay beside you, and share your body heat."

Saren furrowed his brow as he regarded her. "Why?" he asked.

"Because... it feels good," she answered.

"But... if we're sharing body heat," the half-elf said, "doesn't that conflict with your need to keep your body temperature low?"

The snow fairy's mouth hung open. She couldn't even begin to formulate a response to his question. _Maybe he's not that perfect after all. Maybe he's just that stupid..._

Kumuru knocked on the door quietly. There was no response, and so she opened the door a crack. It should've given her a clear view of Saren's bed, but she couldn't see any sign of him in it. She did, however, see Mizore asleep in it. She seemed a little colder than usual, even with the dry ice dropping the temperature in the room.

The succubus opened the door a little more, and got a better look in the room. Finally, she saw Saren sitting upright, a quizzical expression on his face as he regarded the sleeping snow fairy.

"Spying on the lovebirds?" a voice whispered behind her. Kurumu nearly jumped, barely having the restraint to turn around quietly. Ruby stood behind her, smirking.

"How did you know?" Kurumu whispered.

"About them being lovebirds, or about you spying on them?" Ruby asked. "Because neither was that difficult. You used to do the same thing to Tsukune, after all."

"And Saren and Mizore?" Kurumu asked.

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Kurumu, _everybody_ knows about Saren and Mizore. Even Yukari has seen it. The only ones who seem oblivious to this are Saren and Mizore themselves."

Kurumu smiled and shook her head, closing the door and leading Ruby away. "They know. They just don't want to admit it. Mizore went through a lot in the past, and when Tsukune left with Moka after Mizore told him she loved him… Well, it devastated her. It devastated all of us, even you. As for Saren… Well, to me he seems like the kind of man who gets too wrapped up in his duty to allow anything else to interfere."

"What kind of duty?" Ruby asked, blinking.

"Well, there's the overall threat of Kuyou. He wants to deal with that, because he knows how serious it is, what it means to the world. Then there's the duty that means the most to him," Kurumu said. "He… he told me about it a few days ago. Mizore's parents… well, before they died, they asked him to protect Mizore. He said he would, even if he had to give up his life to do it."

"So that's what he meant…" Ruby said. "I'd wondered what the snow angels were talking about. It makes sense now."

Kurumu nodded. "So you see where I'm coming from, when I said Saren's got more important things to think about."

"I know. He'd probably think of it as a distraction," Ruby said. "But the truth is, I think he and Mizore should both say something. Because you're right, they do belong together. And honestly, the fact that you haven't tried to separate them means that you know they always have."

Kurumu nodded. "But they better hurry up," she said with a smirk. "I'm not getting younger, and I might just decide that Saren's worth the trouble after all."

Ruby smiled at the succubus. "I wouldn't be too sure," she said. "After all, Saren's a little closer to _my_ age, don't you think? I'm sure we'd get along a little better than the two of you."

The two girls laughed and bantered all the way back to their room.


	21. Chapter 21

**[21]**

"I wonder how much farther we have to go," Yukari said. "I'm getting kind of tired of walking."

"Well, maybe you should have a familiar that flies," Kurumu said. "Then you'd be able to use some of its power like Ruby does."

"And then what about Saren and Mizore?" Ruby asked.

"Mizore can fly. Well, she can jump and levitate pretty high anyway," Kurumu said.

"But then what about Saren…" Mizore muttered.

"I can fly," Saren said. "Not, y'know by sprouting wings, but…"

"Oh? How so?" Ruby asked, blinking.

"Something I acquired in my home. I don't like using it, though," Saren said. "It's never been seen on Earth before, you see."

"Oh, right," Ruby said. "That's understandable."

"In any case, all of us flying would attract a lot more attention than all of us walking," Saren said. "Unfortunately, we're better off where we are."

"That bites. We need to get this over with more quickly," Yukari said, pouting.

Saren shook his head and smiled. "Ruby, how far away do you think we are?"

Ruby looked at their surroundings and closed her eyes. "Judging by the strength of the barrier in this area, I'd say we're getting close. Maybe another day's travel."

"Alright, then," Kurumu said. "Let's go kick some butt."

Mizore smiled at her friends' enthusiasm. Part of her had a lingering doubt, though. _When we defeat Kuyou… what then? We'll all go our separate ways again… I won't see my friends anymore… or Saren… Where will he go…?_

"Hey," Kurumu said, nudging her elbow. "What's on your mind?"

The snow fairy shook her head. "It's nothing, don't worry about it."

Kurumu stopped and tugged on Mizore's sleeve, pulling her to a stop as well. "You're lying. I've known you far too long."

Mizore sighed. "Really, Kurumu," she said. "It's nothing. I'm just… thinking…"

Kurumu frowned. "Thinking about what happens when we get to the end of our journey," she said.

Mizore nodded. "I know everyone's just going to split up again… You, Ruby, and Yukari are the only real friends I've had, aside from Tsukune and Moka," she said.

"You're forgetting Saren," Kurumu said.

The snow fairy shook her head. "No I'm not," she said. "He's just… in a different group. You all, you're like my family… Saren's… well, he's different."

"I know he is," Kurumu said, smiling. "You love him, don't you? Not like you loved Tsukune, and not like your family. You honestly, genuinely, want to be with him."

"I…" Mizore said, looking down. "I'd give up everything for him… In a heartbeat…"

Kurumu nodded. "I know. I mean, I could always see it in the way you acted around him. And… Well, I know I shouldn't be saying anything to you…"

"What?" Mizore asked, looking up at her.

Kurumu shook her head. "One of these days, you'll have to talk to him about it. It's not my place," she said. "Just… trust me."

Mizore frowned. "I want to… I want to ask him… I'm still afraid…"

"I understand," Kurumu said. "There's a lot of doubt in your mind, and a lot of pain. It happens. You have to try to set it aside, though. Let it go."

The snow fairy thought about what her closest friend had said. Finally, she nodded. "You're right… I have to overcome my fear. That's always held me back… but I can't let it anymore."

Kurumu nodded. "That's good. Come on, let's go catch up."

"Right... Now the only problem I have is how stupid he is," Mizore said, sighing.

The two girls hurried their pace, catching up with the remainder of the group. It looked like the rest of their journey would be an easy one, and they began to relax ever so slightly.

"It's time," he said, pulling the mirror from its reflective sheath. "The power that was sealed within this mirror shall awaken, and call forth the true forms of everyone in this world. The time of peace between monsters and humans is at an end. Golem, go and block the pass. No one is allowed to disturb me."

The last member of the Kings of Heaven nodded, stomping off to carry out Kuyou's wishes. When Kuyou was alone, he looked into the mirror, calling forth the sprite sealed within. It emerged, and said, "What would you have of me, Master Kuyou?"

"You know what I want," Kuyou said. "Take flight and reveal the true forms of all monsters. The barrier will be destroyed."

"As you wish…" the sprite said. The mirror glowed brightly as the creature took hold of it, then took flight, abandoning the cave in which Kuyou has ensconced himself.

"Finally," Kuyou said. "I'll be the one in charge. I'll be the one in complete control. Nothing can stop me this time. Not even a pair of vampires."

Over the course of the next several hours, the sun set. The stars began to show themselves, twinkling in the sky, giving a benign look to the night. No one even bothered to question the greenish streak moving across the sky, assuming it was a meteor of some sort.

The meteor sparkled, and dust seemed to fall from it. Many saw this as a good omen, and went about their business.

No one seemed to question when they went to bed, and when their transformation magic undid itself while they slept.

No one seemed to question when they woke up the next morning, in their true forms, and began their daily lives again.

No one seemed to question when, in the middle of the day, the sky began to fall.


	22. Chapter 22

**[22]**

Each of them staggered when the earth shook. "What the…?" Kurumu began.

"Up there," Saren shouted, pointing to the sky. "Looks like the sky's cracked."

"The barrier," Ruby said. "It's been breached. It's collapsing."

"We're too late!" Yukari cried.

"We have to keep moving," Saren said. "We have to be getting close." The group pressed further into the mountains, struggling to keep their footing amid renewed tremors.

Saren and Mizore had just walked past what appeared to be a solid wall when it shifted. Saren instantly had his sword out, pulling Mizore around and separating her from this new threat. When he got a better view, he identified it as a golem.

"So you're the one," it said. "You killed my fellows, Cerberus and Deshi. You're going to pay dearly for that."

Saren glared at the rock monster before him. "You're one of the Kings of Heaven," he said. "And Kuyou's on this mountain somewhere."

"Very good," the golem answered. "You'll never find him, of course. I can bring this whole mountain down. The succubus might survive, but it's a matter of time before I kill her too."

"You won't be able to stop us," Mizore said. "There are five of us and one of you."

"I can start an avalanche that'll leave just me," the golem said.

"And while we're standing here running our mouths, the monster world is becoming visible to humans. I can already feel monsters beginning to rise for battle," Ruby said. "The whole world is in danger and you don't care."

"Of course not. It's what I serve Kuyou for," the golem said. "I'll get my turn to play against the humans too."

"No, you won't," Saren said. "We're going to stop you here."

"Good luck," the golem said. "Remember, I am the master of the mountain."

The prince prepared himself to fight the golem when the earth shook again. The path began to crumble where Mizore was standing, and she scrambled to find more stable ground. The golem noticed this, and struck the ground with a gigantic fist, causing her to lose her balance further. She slipped, falling off the side.

"Mizore!" Saren shouted, throwing himself over the edge after her.

"Come on, let's go!" Kurumu told the two witches, preparing to attack.

"What're you doing?" Yukari asked. "We can't let them-"

"They'll be fine," Ruby said. "We have to get past the golem and get to Kuyou. The mission takes priority."

"Your mission is at an end," the golem said, swinging at them. Ruby managed to pull herself back out of range, and Kurumu struck at him. Her nails didn't do any damage against the golem, and she growled in frustration.

Ruby and Yukari both began casting spells, pummeling the golem with a variety of objects. The golem still managed to strike back against them, hurling boulders at them. They managed to dodge the attacks, but were still growing tired. "How do we beat this thing?" Yukari asked.

"We have to hope Saren and Mizore are alright," Ruby said. "We have to try and hold off long enough for them to make it back up."

Mizore came to and sat up slowly. _Ugh… my head is killing me…_ she thought. _Wait, where's…?_

She heard Saren groan, and looked around. She finally found him, laying on the ground beneath her. "Oh no… are you alright?" she asked, moving off of him.

"I'm fine," Saren said, sitting up and wincing.

"Why did you come after me? I mean… I would've been alright," she said. "And how did you end up under me…?"

"As for why, I had to save you. You're… you're important to me," he said. "You have to know that."

"Well…" Mizore blushed. "I… I didn't think about it that way…"

Saren smiled. "And to answer your question of how I ended up under you, I kept my body as closed in as possible. I ended up dropping like a missile, instead of like a piece of paper," he said.

"That makes sense," she said. "Still, though… you didn't have to do it…"

Saren smiled at her. "Yeah I did. You know it, and I know it."

Mizore looked down. "You're always saving me…" she said. "One of these days, I'm going to have to return the favor…"

"For now, let's settle for getting back up there. We have to save our friends," Saren said.

Mizore nodded, and began to form a platform of ice. "Come on… We can use this to get back up there," she said. She took Saren's hand and led him onto the platform, using her power to levitate it up the mountainside.

Saren caught sight of the golem advancing on Ruby and began channeling mana. He cried out, "Spread!" A puddle of water appeared under the golem, and erupted into a geyser. The golem was lifted high in the air, weakened by the water. It crashed back to the ground, atop a spear of ice Mizore had constructed. The ice pierced a crucial part of the golem's body, and the creature lay motionless on the ground.

Saren glared at the golem, and then looked up at the others. "Come on. We have to find Kuyou and undo whatever he did," the prince said.

They continued on their path up the mountain. Saren began to see several large forms rise above the treetops. "What the… are those monsters?" he asked.

Ruby followed his gaze and nodded. "Yes… many monsters have forms that are well above human size. That's part of why transformation magic is so highly recommended."

"And if the humans see those monsters, the war they start will be devastating for both sides…" Saren muttered. "We don't have a lot of time."


	23. Chapter 23

**[23]**

"The barrier's collapsed again…"

"I've seen it… It's only a matter of time now…"

"What are we going to do?"

"We can't get involved this time. If anything happens and you transform again…"

"But our friends…"

"Are exactly where they're supposed to be. This is up to them, and the ally they've managed to find."

"And if he's not strong enough?"

"If our lives are placed in danger, we'll act. Not before."

"I… don't know if I can accept that."

"You have to. If you transform, you'll be hunted down again. I can't afford to lose you."

"Moka…"

"No, Tsukune. We have to remain here. It's up to the others now."

"I understand. I just worry about them. They're our friends. Even yours."

"…I know they are. They'll be fine."

They finally reached the top of the mountain, and the cave in which Kuyou had hidden himself. When they found him, he was already on his feet, his eyes open. "So. You've come to meet me here at the moment of my greatest triumph," he said. "What a pathetic force you are."

"If you continue to believe we're pathetic," Saren said, "then you're going to continue to delude yourself."

"I hope you'll excuse me for not believing you," Kuyou answered. "After all, what are all of you? A pair of witches. A snow woman. A succubus. A human with a toy sword. Your vampire friends have abandoned you. You have no hope."

"You're wrong," Mizore said. "We have all the hope of two worlds resting with us."

Kuyou laughed. "Is that what you believe? You honestly have no idea. In a matter of hours, there won't be two worlds anymore. There will be nothing left."

Saren drew his sword, refusing to allow Kuyou's words to put him down. "Kuyou, you still have an option. You have to stop this. End this peacefully."

"No," Kuyou said. "I've worked too long and too hard for this moment. I won't give in to some pathetic children."

Saren shook his head. "Then I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he said. He took a step toward Kuyou, and the demon glared at him.

"What are you doing?" he asked. "Do you intend to face me? Do you know what I am?"

Saren watched as Kuyou's body began to smoke. Flesh began to burn, and flames erupted from behind Kuyou. One fiery tale peeked out, then another, then another, and another. "A fox demon," Saren said. "A mythological beast capable of wreaking havoc on entire countries at a time. Many of your kind were hunted down and eliminated. Though the last time I checked, they had nine tales. You seem to only have four."

Kuyou smirked. A fifth tail slowly rose over his back, and then a sixth. "You were saying?" the demon said.

Saren breathed deeply. _A demon fox is _not _what I'd anticipated facing, particularly one this advanced. This is far too dangerous for the others. I have to end this quickly._

To his surprise, he was flanked on both sides. Mizore and Kurumu stood on either side of him, and Yukari and Ruby stood on their other sides. "We will never let you win," Ruby said. "You've done far too much evil to be redeemed."

"You'll never beat me. You couldn't beat me when I was a four-tailed fox," Kuyou said. "My powers have grown exponentially. I'll burn you all to the ground." He barely finished his sentence before a flaming arrow shot out towards them, specifically at Mizore.

A wall of ice rose in front of her, partially obscuring Saren and Ruby as well. "You're underestimating us," Mizore said. "You're making a terrible mistake."

"If you believe that, then perhaps you're the one making a mistake," Kuyou said. He fired another attack, a larger one, at Saren.

The prince narrowed his eyes, saying, "Guardian!" A green sphere enveloped him, absorbing the flames. "If that's all you've got, you're going to lose."

"Fine, then," Kuyou said. "Then I'll just turn up the heat." He raised his arms and flung fireballs out at each of them. The group was forced to scatter. Saren brought up his sword to defend against the flames, and Kuyou laughed. "You really think that little sword will save you? Fire can heat steel, or even melt it again."

"If you think that's the case, then you may want to look again," Saren said. His sword shone brightly, the blade almost glowing blue. "This isn't one of your run-of-the-mill swords."

"That sword… it's imbued with magical power," Kuyou said. "What'd you do, steal it from a monster? It's all you humans know how to do."

"This sword is part of my family's heritage," Saren said. "This sword is called Fenrir, and it is one of the three Mystic Weapons. It was granted to my father and passed on to me. You will never destroy it."

Kuyou's eyes narrowed. "I see then," he said. "I assume it is a blade imbued with ice magic. That certainly is special."

"You're going to see exactly how special in just a minute," Saren replied. He tightened his grip and charged Kuyou. The demon's tails lashed out, but the swordsman dodged the attacks. He slashed at the demon, but Kuyou moved backward out of the way. The two of them continued striking and avoiding one another.

Kurumu and Yukari watched in shock as the two dueled. "I've… I've never seen anyone able to keep up with Kuyou," Yukari said. "Is Saren really… that powerful?"

Kurumu nodded. "He's far more incredible than either of us gave him credit for," she said.

Ruby watched the fight, at the same time holding Mizore at bay. "Take it easy. Saren will be fine," the witch said. "If Kuyou's having this much trouble actually hitting him, then it's definitely a good thing for our side."

_Impossible! How is this mere mortal this fast, or this strong?_ Kuyou thought. Enraged, he lashed at his foe with all of his tails in sequence. Saren rolled through all the attacks, launching several shockwaves back at him, which Kuyou danced through.

_He's becoming angry. That anger is making him blind,_ Saren thought. _He'll mess up. As long as I keep my head, he can't win. We can end this here._

_He has to have some sort of weakness,_ Kuyou thought. _He can't keep dodging my attacks indefinitely. He has to tire out! He has to slow down!_

Saren kept striking at every opportunity, and Kuyou dodged the attacks, returning them with his own. The fox demon spun around one of Saren's Azure Edge attacks, whipping his tails around and unleashing a barrage of flames, prompting the prince to use his Guardian spell to deflect them.

The two continued their fight, and the others stood perfectly still, afraid to move an inch lest they somehow find themselves involved in the fray. Finally, Kuyou moved away, his tails spinning relentlessly as he prepared a large fire attack. Saren took the opportunity to gather mana for a spell, casting for the ice element.

Kuyou's tails created a fierce vortex of flames, which roared toward Saren. Saren cried out, "Ice Tornado!" The cyclone of ice swirled to life, speeding toward Kuyou. The two forces collided somewhere in between, merging with one another and forming one all-powerful twister of cold blue and flaming gold. It spun maddeningly as the two casters continued fueling it, and it began expanding.

"This is worse than I thought," Kurumu said. "Those two are going to tear this entire cave apart!"

"We have to back out of here," Ruby shouted over the din. She began to pull Mizore with her, but the yuki-onna struggled with every step.

"It's too late!" Yukari cried, pointing at the hellish vortex. It had gathered too much power of opposing forces, and glowed a bright white in the center. The vortex lost all cohesion and the orb exploded.


	24. Chapter 24

**[24]**

Ruby uncovered her eyes and slowly cracked them open. The smoke in the cavern was thinning, and she could barely make out the forms of Saren and Kuyou. The force of the blast had knocked them back to opposite sides. Both were panting heavily, but neither appeared ready to give up.

"Impressive," Kuyou said. "I didn't think someone of your limited form could field such power against me. One wonders where you could have acquired this.

"That's not important," Saren answered, regulating his breathing. "Stopping you is."

"You fool… You have to know by now how much power I possess," Kuyou said. "You can't possibly imagine you can hold out much longer."

"I can hold out long enough," Saren said. "You've seen it. You're surprised by it. No one should be able to keep pace with you, such is the faith you have in your own abilities."

Kuyou growled. "You have a weakness. I know you do. When I find it, I'm going to sink my teeth into it and never let go. Your body will burn for an eternity, and you will beg for death."

Saren narrowed his eyes at the fox demon. _The trouble is, he's not lying. Fox demons are known for casting curses on people who offend or harm them. Those curses can last for centuries… and that's not something I really want to deal with._

Suddenly, Kuyou appeared distracted. It took Saren a moment to figure out why. With Kuyou's back to the wall, the others had taken the opportunity to form up around him, preparing to strike him all at once. "You pathetic children… You can't really believe you can face me?"

"We have to," Kurumu said. "You wouldn't let us work things out… You're trying to destroy the whole world."

"Why does it matter to you? There are only a few monsters you could possibly be close to," Kuyou said. "If they stay hidden from the humans long enough…" He let his words hang, and began laughing.

Mizore glared at him, and began launching ice projectiles at him without warning. He managed to recover quickly enough to deflect them, and laughed even more malevolently. He shot a huge burst of fire at her, and saw it dissolve into a geyser that had formed in its path.

Kuyou looked back at Saren, who was holding up a hand in the direction the fireball had taken. "So, you chose to defend her. Could it be that she's… special to you? Could it be that she's your weakness?" he said. "Then why don't I just start by killing her?"

He bolted toward Mizore, who began creating a wall of ice to defend herself. Saren moved toward her at the exact same moment. In the instant it took Kuyou to shatter Mizore's wall, Saren struck at the same time, slashing the demon across the gut with his sword.

Kuyou howled in pain, and lashed out at Saren with his claws. The swordsman blocked the attack, backflipping to avoid a subsequent attack from the demon's tails. In the confusion, Ruby pulled Mizore away, trying to remove her from harm.

Saren and Kuyou's battle reignited, each one displaying the prowess they'd shown just minutes earlier. They continued moving throughout the cave, forcing Kurumu and the others to move to avoid them.

Saren thought he'd gained the upper hand, and lashed out at the fox demon. Kuyou took the blow, staggering backward. Then he smirked at the swordsman, and launched another attack on Mizore.

The snow fairy was completely unprepared, both for the size and direction of the strike. She stood, frozen, and threw her arms up in a vain effort to defend herself.

Saren watched as the attack seem to move in slow motion. He abandoned his assault on Kuyou, dropping his sword on the ground, and moved toward Mizore.

The blast got closer to Mizore; she could feel the incredible heat already. _This is it… I'm not going to survive this… I'll end up like my parents…_ She felt a blunt impact in her side and felt herself falling. She hit the ground, heard a scream of agony. She opened her eyes and looked down to her feet, and saw fire.

"Saren!" she shouted. The swordsman had shoved her out of the way at the last second, but didn't have quite enough momentum. He'd taken Kuyou's attack on his left leg, and was struggling to put out the fire.

Ruby and Yukari moved to block Kuyou from getting to them. Mizore helped put out the fire using a burst of icy wind. Saren still clutched at his injured leg, and she glared up at Kuyou. "You _bastard…_"

Saren reached out and grabbed her ankle, and she looked down at him. "Let go… I have to make him pay…"

"No," the swordsman said, shaking his head. "Have to get out… I'll take him…"

Mizore shook her head. "I can't let you fight him like this," she said.

"She's right. You're in no condition," Kurumu said. "Ruby, Yukari! We have to leave!"

"Don't run!" Kuyou shouted, cackling. "I haven't finished playing with you yet!"

Ruby launched an attack, sending up a blinding curtain of smoke. She grabbed Yukari's hand and moved toward the exit. Kurumu and Mizore picked up Saren and followed them.

"We have to get back to the outpost," Kurumu said.

"There's no doctor there," Ruby said as she led them back down the mountain at a run. "Besides, it won't do any good. Look at his leg."

Kurumu looked down at Saren's leg, and saw the flash had a black aura surrounding it. It spread from just below his knee to his ankle. "What the hell?!"

"It's a curse, placed there by Kuyou," Ruby said. "When we get into hiding, I can try to break the curse, but it'll take time."

"No…" Saren said. "No time…"

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked. "I have to break that curse."

"Don't worry about it…" Saren said. "Need you to do something else."

"What is it?" Ruby asked.

"Go back… See if you can find the seal of the barrier," he said. "We'll have to either repair or replace it…"

"That's easy," Ruby said. "The barrier is sealed by a control apparatus, deep underneath Youkai Academy. But it'd have to be repaired. As far as I know, the only one who had the ability was the Director of Youkai Academy. But the original Director passed on about two years ago."

"I'll find a way to fix it…" Saren said. "I have to go… back home. I can find a way to make a new barrier… A stronger barrier…"

"What?" Kurumu said. "We can't let you go back home. It's too far."

"I can make the trip in a matter of seconds," Saren said. "And someone there can fix my leg… Just… all of you get out of here."

"No," Mizore said, shaking her head. "I won't leave you."

"Mizore, this isn't the time…" Saren said.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight," she countered. "I'm going with you and that's final."

"Take her with you," Ruby said. "It'll give the rest of us peace of mind knowing you're not alone."

"Dammit…" Saren muttered. "Fine… Get moving. We should be back by the time you've reached the academy." _I hope…_

The elder witch nodded, and tugged Yukari along with her. Kurumu gave Saren and Mizore one last, hard look, then flew off after the witches.

Mizore looked down at Saren and said, "Now what? How are we going to get to your home from here?"

"It's going to take a second," Saren said, forcing himself to lift his leg and take weight off it. "You might want to hang on. It'll be a rough ride, being your first time."


	25. Chapter 25

**[25]**

Mizore ended up on all fours on the grassy plain. She retched several times, threatening to vomit. Finally, she managed to regulate her breathing, and the feeling subsided.

"Are you alright?" Saren asked, crawling over to her.

She nodded, not entirely trusting herself to speak.

"That's good. I'm sorry that trip was so rough. Hopefully, you'll be more used to it next time," he said, sitting up in front of her.

"Where are we?" Mizore asked. "Are we back in the human world?"

"We're… in my home," Saren said. "We had to come here."

"But… where in the world are we?" Mizore asked. "I don't recognize this…"

Saren sighed and glanced at the ground. "Not exactly," he murmured. "Look, Mizore. I have something to tell you.

"I'm not exactly who everyone thinks I am," he said. "I'm not human, and I'm not a monster. I'm not even from Earth."

"You're… what?" Mizore asked. _What's going on here? What is he saying…?_

"I'm from a planet called Aselia. It's… well, pretty far from Earth. There are a number of similarities, but also some slight differences. There are elves here, for one thing. There never have been on Earth. As a result… well, the simplest way to say this is that I'm a half-elf," he said. "It explains my ability to use magic, and why I was never so badly affected by Kuyou's or anyone else's attacks."

"But… You're still an alien," Mizore said.

"Technically… well, no," Saren said. "I'm still half-human. Look, it's a really complicated story."

"It's okay," Mizore said. "You don't have to explain right now… But I have to know why you brought us here. The Earth is still in danger, right…?"

"Yes. I came here for a couple of reasons," Saren said. "There is some research here on the creation of a barrier capable of separating two warring nations. In this case, I think it'd be effective to employ between the human and monster realms."

"And the other reason…?" Mizore asked.

Saren looked down at his leg. The visible effects of the curse were starting to subside, but were still evident. "I believe the curse can be broken, at least partially, by the elves of Heimdall," he said. "They're confined to one small city by choice, but their powers are among the greatest in the world. I think they'd be more effective at treating me, since I'm a half-elf. Not that I don't have confidence in Ruby, but she's not familiar with my particular biology."

"I understand. I'm sure she wouldn't mind," Mizore said. "Where do we go, then?"

"Well… I'm not certain," Saren said. "I'm not exactly sure where we ended up."

"Where we ended up…?" Mizore asked.

"The method we used to get here was a portal, known as the Otherworldly Gate. Originally, it was only able to travel between Aselia's separated halves. My father managed to establish exits to the Gate on other worlds, including Earth. But the problem is that the Gate doesn't always put people out at the same place every time, at least not on this end. It's fairly exact on Earth, but because the Gate is based here…" Saren said.

"Oh. Well, that kind of makes sense, I guess," Mizore said.

Saren smiled. "No it doesn't," he said. "But that's alright. I don't understand all the principles behind the Gate myself. All I know is I can access it, direct it to where I want to go." The prince tried to get up, but winced when he put weight on his cursed leg.

"Here, let me help you," Mizore said, getting to her feet and offering him her hand. Saren reached up and took it, but it didn't help too much. He overbalanced her, and she fell on top of him, both of them crashing back to the ground. She opened her eyes, finding herself looking directly into his, and blushed, scrambling to get off of him. "I'm sorry…" she said, looking away.

Saren sat up. "It's okay," he said. Subconsciously, he tried to slow his heart rate, and forced himself to his feet, after a fair amount of pain.

Mizore got to her feet as well, but refused to look at him again. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he said. "I can't heal my leg, though. I'd imagine that's part of the curse. The burn isn't healing properly, and my mana circulation to that leg is being completely blocked."

"I'm sorry… We should try to find this city so your leg can be healed," Mizore said.

Saren nodded. "Let's see if we can find out where we are. Probably the best way is to get a bird's eye view," he said.

"How're you going to do that? Your leg is injured. There's no way you can climb a tree," she said.

"Not that kind of bird's eye view," Saren said, smirking. "We're going a little higher up than the trees."

_What does he…?_ Mizore watched as Saren reached into an inner jacket pocket, pulling out a small capsule. "What's that?" she asked.

"It's called a wingpack. It's a capsule with a highly effective compression field. Basically, I can fit large objects in this small thing," Saren said. He opened the capsule, revealing a large, winged machine.

Mizore's eyes widened in shock. "What is that?" she asked.

"This is a Rheaird," the prince answered. "It's one of the best forms of travel in Aselia. It functions by drawing mana from the world itself, and uses it to fly."

"Oh, wow. That sounds incredible," Mizore said. "That's what you were talking about after we left the Academy."

Saren climbed atop the machine, then offered a hand to Mizore. She took it, and he helped pull her onto it, sitting behind him. "Hang on," he said. "We'll be moving pretty quickly."

He started the Rheaird, and rose into the sky, high above the treetops that surrounded them. All the while, Mizore clung to him, her arms around his waist. He heard her gasp when they reached the best height, and he smiled. "Look over there," he said, pointing to their left. "That's the capitol, Euclid."

"It's huge!" she said. "I don't think I've ever seen a city that big before."

"It's the largest in Aselia, to be sure," Saren said. "but Tokyo's actually quite a bit larger still. Come on, Heimdall should be over this way." He pulled the Rheaird over toward the right and gunned the engine, and they took off, heading for the one city in Aselia that would be able to cure Saren. _If they don't kill me first._


	26. Chapter 26

**[26]**

They set down just outside the Treantwood, a large, dense forest surrounding a lake. The wood was famous for the amount of animals contained within. Saren collapsed the Rheaird back into his wingpack, and he and Mizore entered the forest.

Saren still had trouble walking, so Mizore grabbed his left arm to put around her. He tugged his arm away and shook his head. "Too risky. I don't want you brushing against the leg on accident," he said. To prove his point, he reached down and grabbed a leaf that floated on the lake's surface. He touched the leaf to his leg, and it caught fire.

Saren looked at the expression on the snow fairy's face and smiled. "See? Didn't want that to be you," he said. He did, however, take her hand in his. "I appreciate you trying to help."

They continued their journey through the Treantwood, and Mizore studied it in awe. "I've never seen anything like this on Earth," she said. "Everything is so… clean here."

"This world's industrial revolution is significantly different from Earth's. There's never been an automobile on the planet, and most computers here are partially holographic," Saren said.

"Why didn't you tell me about any of this before?" Mizore asked. "Your world, the technology…"

Saren frowned. "I'm not exactly supposed to," he said. "I'm risking a lot just by revealing as much as I have."

"I'm sorry," Mizore said. "I shouldn't ask so many questions if all it'll do is get you in trouble. I probably shouldn't even be here right now."

"It's fine," Saren said. "This is a rather extreme circumstance, after all."

After a short while of exploring the forest's many paths, they came to a more dense area where two figures stood. "Stop! Who goes there?" one of them demanded.

"We are emissaries of the Dynast-King," Saren said. "We come to seek counsel with the Elder."

The sentries approached Saren. "Present proof of your claim," they said.

Saren held up his left hand and removed the glove. Mizore could not see what he showed them, but it was enough to convince the guards. They bowed deeply, muttering, "Our apologies, sir. We had no idea the Dynast-King would send someone here. Please, come with us."

Saren replaced his glove and turned back to Mizore. _So far so good_, he thought. She walked with him after the sentries. The part of the forest they walked through was thick enough that barely any light filtered down through the trees. Finally, they emerged, and Mizore's jaw fell open.

The elven village was a sight to behold. Several houses lined each side of a river, which Mizore saw fed into the lake they'd passed. Countless people were out and about, each of them with pointed ears, and most with icy blue hair. _I can't believe all these people live in a village in the middle of a forest_, she thought. _I always thought the yuki-onna village was packed with people…_

The sentries ferried them toward the back of the village, next to a series of tall windmills. They approached a rather modest house, and one of the sentries turned to Saren. "The Elder is inside," he said. "We hope you can settle things to your satisfaction."

The sentries departed, and Saren looked over at Mizore. "Shall we?" he asked, extending his hand in the direction of the house.

Mizore smiled. "Yes. We need to make sure you're taken care of," she said.

The two of them walked up the stairs, and Saren knocked on the door. "Come in," a voice said from inside.

Saren opened the door slowly, and led Mizore into a dimly lit room. "Good day, sir. Can I help you?" an old man asked.

"My name is Saren," the prince replied. "I'm… I've been sent here by the Dynast-King. I need your help."

"Yes, yes, come in. Have a seat. And who is your lovely companion?" the elf asked.

"M-my name is Mizore… Mizore Shirayuki…" the snow fairy answered. "It's a pleasure to meet you…"

The elf smiled. "You may call me Lundgrom. I am, as you may have gathered, the elven Elder here," he said. "Now, tell me. What is it I can help the two of you with?"

"Well," Saren said, frowning, "I'm having a bit of difficulty healing my leg. Normally I can use magic to heal it, but it's not working. The mana flow to that leg is being blocked entirely."

The elf's face settled into a mask of concentration. "Let me see."

He made Saren sit on the table, and the prince allowed the elder to examine his cursed leg. "I see… this is… well, this is rather difficult," he said. "What exactly placed this curse on you?"

"It was… well, a fox demon," Saren answered. "I'm not certain whether you're familiar with them, they're from Earth."

"Ah, yes, the Queen's homeworld," Lundgrom said. "No, I can't say I am entirely familiar with them."

_Wait… the Queen's homeworld?_ Mizore thought, her eyes widening in shock. _Who is he talking about?_

"They're considered a mythical beast. They supposedly have a fairly wide range of powers, but focus on the fire element. Some of the stronger ones are known to place curses on people, some lasting an entire lifetime," Saren explained.

"I see," Lundgrom said. "Well, this is going to be difficult to cure. I believe the only method to break this curse is going to involve the Celsius' Tear."

"I see," Saren said, his eyes shifting, taking on a somewhat distant look.

"What's Celsius' Tear?" Mizore asked.

"Celsius' Tear is a flower," Lundgrom said. "It's very unique in that it can freeze anything it touches. It's named after the Summon Spirit of Ice, Celsius. Its petals can be used to break the curse. It only grows in one place in all of Aselia."

"So, where is it?" Mizore asked.

"Far to the north of here," Lundgrom said. "Near the frozen city of Flanoir, there is a cave, known as the Temple of Ice. It is where Celsius herself is said to reside. If you can get the flower, bring it back to me. I will help you."

"Thank you," Saren said.

"I hope you succeed," Lundgrom said. "The mountains surrounding Flanoir and the Temple are quite treacherous of late. Many people have gone missing, and the Euclid Royal Militia has sealed off access for most travelers. You'll probably need to take this. It's a letter authorizing passage to Flanoir from me."

"Again, thank you," Saren said. "We'll be sure to take care. With luck, we'll be back shortly. Certainly, no more than two days."

"I'll look to see you in two days, then," Lundgrom said. "Safe journey."

The two of them left, making their way slowly back out of the village and out of the Treantwood. Finally, they emerged on the outside, and Saren reopened his wingpack. He and Mizore climbed aboard the Rheaird and set off for the north.

"Saren," Mizore said. "I just noticed a problem we're going to have."

"What's that?" he asked.

"Your sword… you didn't bring it with you," she said. "Where is it?"

Saren thought back, and silently cursed himself. _When Kuyou attacked Mizore, I dropped it so I could move to protect her. Ruby and Mizore pulled me out of the cave, but I never recovered Fenrir. But that means that Kuyou has it now… Shit…_ Sighing heavily, he said, "Kuyou has it. And that just means we'll have to work that much harder the next time we face him."


	27. Chapter 27

**[27]**

**[Earth; Parts Unknown]**

"The rift between the human world and the monster world is getting worse," Tsukune said. "There are small scuffles already breaking out, but mostly still between monsters. Humans haven't gotten involved yet."

"'Yet' being the operative word there," Moka replied. "It doesn't look like Kuyou's gotten involved, either. It seems he was content to just let the humans and monsters destroy one another."

"Yes… but it looks like there's already been a casualty," Tsukune said.

"What do you mean?" Moka asked.

"I get the feeling… I get the feeling something has happened to Mizore. I can't really feel her anymore," Tsukune said. "It's… it's almost like she's died off from the Earth altogether."

"I certainly hope not," Moka said. "I've never particularly cared for her, or the way she used to stalk you. But she was still a friend to you, and to the other Moka. If she died facing Kuyou… well, it's one more thing for him to answer for. I just hope the rest of our friends are safe."

"I think they are," Tsukune said. "I'm not aware of any danger to them right now. I think they managed to escape the fight with Kuyou with their lives."

"Good," Moka said. "Then perhaps there's still a chance to resolve this without us getting involved."

"Not much of one, but true, it is a chance," Tsukune said.

"We'll have to make the best of it," Moka said.

It took them a few hours, but Saren and Mizore reached Flanoir without much trouble. They set down outside the city, and were immediately approached by members of the Royal Militia. "Access to this continent it restricted," one of the officers said. "State your business."

Saren showed them the letter from Lundgrom, and they examined it. "Very well," the second guard said. "Keep in mind that it may be difficult to navigate Celsius' temple without weaponry."

"We know," Saren said. "We'll manage it somehow." The guards returned to their posts, and Saren and Mizore entered the city.

Once again, Mizore was breathtaken. The entire continent had been covered in snow, partially due to Celsius' influence. The city of Flanoir had developed a rather unique character as a result. Snowmen littered the sidewalks, and trees were decorated with lights, almost as if it were Christmas. "Wow," she said, smiling with wide eyes.

Saren smiled as well, watching her practically skip down the streets of the city. "Flanoir is one of the more ideal locations in Aselia," he said. "It's very peaceful, despite the monsters in the temple. Most of the cities have certain barriers in place to prevent monsters from entering, so we're safe here."

Mizore looked back at him and smiled. _This place is so beautiful,_ she thought. _I had no idea Saren had been to places like this. It's… it's almost the sort of place my people would live…_ Her smile fell a little, when she thought of her parents. It had been a while since they'd passed, since she'd almost broken down. Since Saren had saved her from herself. _They would especially have loved it here. There are all sorts of shops here my mother would like. I just wish they could see it…_

She felt something strike her, and turned to look behind her. A small child looked up at her with fear in his eyes. "S-sorry," he said. "I was trying to hit the other girl over there." Mizore turned and looked at her back, and saw small clumps of snow sticking to the back of her jacket.

She smirked and scooped up a ball of snow on her own, throwing it back at the boy. He screamed, but laughed in delight, running to take cover behind the corner of a building. Several other children began to join in, taking sides with either the boy or with Mizore.

Saren watched the group at play, and began to chuckle. _It's good to see her actually having fun like this. I don't think I've ever seen it before. But it's still got to be good for her, psychologically,_ he thought. He was jarred from his reverie by a snowball pelting him in the chest, and he glared playfully at Mizore. "I'm gonna get you for that," he said, scraping snow off a rail and hurling it at the snow fairy.

She dodged his attack and responded with another of her own, and he ducked out of the way. "Come on, now, you know I'm crippled here!" he shouted, grinning. He lobbed a snowball over his shoulder like a grenade.

The two of them played with the children for another hour or so. It began to grow dark, and the kids left in small groups, going home to their families. Mizore walked over to Saren, smiling. The prince looked up at her, slightly out of breath, but smiling back nonetheless.

She helped him to his feet, and they brushed each other free of snow. "That was fun," she said. "I can't remember the last time I played like that."

"Neither can I," Saren answered. "Most of my childhood was spent studying swordsmanship and magic. I kept trying to find ways to be better than my sister. She was the one who went out to play all the time."

"I'm sorry," Mizore said. "I mean, I guess it's a good thing you studied as much as you did, since it's made you as strong as you are now. But I wish you'd been able to have more fun. Do you and your sister not get along?"

"We get on well enough. But siblings fight," Saren said. "It happens."

"I wouldn't really know… I'm an only child," Mizore said. "Moka would probably agree with you, though. She and her sister Kokoa kept fighting, both in their childhood and in high school. Tsukune and the rest of us often got dragged into it."

Saren frowned. "I'm not really sure Kira and I fought in quite that manner," he said.

"No, probably not," Mizore said. "It was actually quite funny, most of the time. Moka's rosary would be removed and she'd transform into her other self, which would make Kokoa happy, but Moka just wanted to get away from her. Then when the rosary went back on, the outer Moka reappeared, which is the one Kokoa wanted to kill."

"Well, that certainly does sound like a complicated relationship," Saren said, smirking. "Come on, it's late. Let's grab something to eat and head to the hotel."

"Are… Are we sharing a room again…?" Mizore asked.

"I'm not sure. We haven't since that one night, but that was only because the trading post was out of rooms," Saren said. "I mean, if you want to, we could, but I'm worried about you brushing the curse mark in your sleep."

"I've been meaning to ask you about that. When you touched the curse mark with the leaf, it caught fire, but the elf elder didn't. Why is that?" Mizore asked.

"There are one of two possible explanations," Saren said. "One is that the curse isn't effective on elven blood, which is why I was only injured, not immediately killed. My elven blood may be resisting the curse. The other possibility is that the curse is designed to react strongly against water, fire's natural weakness. The leaf, having just come from the surface of the lake, was wet, whereas Lundgrom's hands were dry. But that's two very good reasons I don't want you touching this curse on accident."

Mizore nodded. "You're right. It is very risky," she said. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to take care of you, like you've been taking care of me."

Saren smiled. "I know, Mizore. And I appreciate it, I really do," he said. "Come on, let's go eat and forget about all this. We can go spelunking tomorrow."


	28. Chapter 28

**[28]**

**[Aselia; Flanoir (Continent)]**

The two of them trekked across the frozen waste, the dark grey clouds holding in their precipitation for the time being. The temple was visible from the city, but still a good distance away. "Saren, are you sure you can make a walk like this?" Mizore asked, looking at him in concern.

The prince walked alongside her, aided by a walking stick given to them by a citizen in Flanoir. "I'm fine, Mizore," he said, smiling. "The stick helps a little. We'll be able to get to the temple and back in no time."

"Well, if you're sure," Mizore said. She tried to focus on the path ahead of them, but still glanced at him from time to time out of concern. _I know he's trying to be strong, but that curse has to be eating away at him slowly. I'm concerned he's actually in a lot more pain than he's letting on…_

After a half hour of trudging through the snow, they arrived at the mouth of the cave. "That… looks ominous," Mizore said, peering just inside. They heard a roar echoing from deep within, and she added, "But that… sounds worse…"

"Lundgrom did mention the monsters up here were worse now than they had been," Saren said. "We should expect at least some resistance." _Not that I know how well either of our powers are going to work, since almost all the monsters here will be resistant to ice… I shouldn't have left that damn sword…_

Saren entered the cave first, with Mizore following closely behind. The cave was dimly lit; only light from the day peeking in made it possible to see. Saren imagined it was easier when the sun was out, since it would reflect off the ice crystals, but the sun was hardly ever out on this continent.

"It's cold in here…" Mizore said. "Far colder than it was in Flanoir…"

"That's probably because of Celsius' influence," Saren said. "She's still quite active, so her power bleeds all through this temple."

The two of them continued through the cave, cursing the darkness. "It'd be so much easier to find this flower," Mizore said, "if we could see just a little."

"I know. If I had more than rudimentary fire magic, I might be of more use," Saren said. "But I've really only got ice and water that I'm strong with."

Saren continued leading the way, using his walking stick to probe for obstacles. He could barely make out the floors of the cave, but the further in they went, the darker it got. They started climbing uphill, and Saren was admittedly surprised that they hadn't been attacked by monsters yet.

They came to a sealed chamber, and Mizore frowned. "How're we going to get in here?" she asked. "If there's an inscription or something, we can't read it, and if there's a trigger, we can't see it."

"It might be… hang on a second," Saren said. He reached into his jacket pocket and fished for a moment. He pulled out a silver ring with an icy blue stone set into it, and slipped it on. The prince held it up to the door, and both the stone and the door began to glow.

"Whoa! What's going on?" Mizore asked.

"This ring is linked to this temple," Saren said. "I got it a few years back, the last time I was here. I didn't see the flower, or if I did, I didn't realize it. But I also never fully explored the temple."

The door's glow intensified, and they heard a loud crash. The door began to split apart and open slowly, and the two entered without hesitation. The door closed behind them, trapping them inside. Fortunately, a light shone through the ceiling of the chamber, aiding them in trying to see.

Saren stepped forward into the middle of the chamber, and a set of runes began to glow on the floor. "What the…" he began.

Mizore sensed the monster's aura a split second later. "Watch out, Saren!" she shouted. He looked up and saw a monster drop down from the ceiling. He stepped backwards as quickly as his cursed leg would allow, and took a good look.

The creature was vaguely primate in appearance, though it had four arms instead of two, each one ending in powerful claws. It had thick, white fur and was rather bulky. "That thing's big," Saren said. "Doesn't look friendly, either."

"We'll need to take care of it," Mizore said.

The creature jumped, landing on the cave wall behind and above Saren. The prince turned to locate it, and it leaped again. Saren swung the walking stick in an attempt to hit it, but only succeeded in grazing the beast. _Damn… thing's fast, and I don't think I can hit it in my current condition_, he thought, frowning.

The creature jumped back down and struck at Saren again, but the prince managed to strike it with the stick, catching it in the gut and driving it backward. It let out a roar of anger and charged him again, knocking the prince aside with the left pair of its strong arms.

Saren struck the cave wall and grunted, and Mizore's eyes widened in shock. She watched the prince try to get back to his feet, since the beast had turned its attention on her. The beast lunged, but Mizore rolled out of the way, then turned and fired several icy missiles at it, striking it.

Saren tried to gather mana, but found his ability to use magic had been suppressed. _What? Don't tell me this is another part of the curse… I can't do anything!_ He ground his teeth and tried chasing the beast as it pursued Mizore, striking it with the stick again to get its attention. "Leave her alone!" the prince shouted.

The beast turned and swatted him again, and Mizore used the opportunity to send more projectiles after it, pinning its other two arms to the cave wall behind it. The beast struggled, and finally broke free, leaping back up to the ceiling. Mizore fired again, trapping all of the beast's limbs against the ceiling.

Saren sighed, looking up at the beast. "Well, now that he's out of the way… we need to try to find Celsius' Tear," he said. "Just wish I had some idea where it was…"

A few pebbles fell and hit him in the head, and he looked up. The beast was slowly working its way free of the ice manacles Mizore had formed. "Oh, this can't be good," Saren said.

The creature broke free, but was unprepared for the gravity of its situation. It fell to the ground, impacting the floor. The floor itself cracked from the impact, and began to crumble beneath them. Saren tried to move to Mizore's side to protect her, but the floor gave way, and all three of them fell through.

When Saren made contact with the floor, he winced, having landed on his cursed leg. _All I need is for it to be broken, too. Wonderful…_ he thought. He heard a roar of pain, and opened his eyes to see the beast drag itself from the rubble, then leap up the walls, back into the chamber they'd just been in, trying to make its escape.

Saren sighed and sank back, propping himself up on his hands. "Are you alright?" he heard Mizore ask. She crawled over to where he sat, kneeling on his right side.

"I'm alright," he answered. "How about you?"

The snow fairy smiled. "I'm fine. I had a soft landing," she said. Frowning, she added, "but I'm more worried about you. What were you thinking?"

"What do you mean?" Saren asked.

"You know what I mean… you're in no condition to fight, especially something that big," Mizore said. "So why did you try?"

"I had to," Saren said. "That thing was huge, and it was blocking our way. Besides, I didn't want it to hurt-"

"You keep saying you didn't want something to hurt me, that you wanted to protect me," Mizore said, cutting him off. "When are you going to let someone else do the protecting? When are you going to let someone save you for once?"

"Mizore, I…"

"You can't keep going and doing things on your own!" Mizore said. "You can't keep… can't keep putting yourself at risk…"

Saren narrowed his eyes as he studied the snow fairy. "What's… what's gotten into you?"

"I just want you to be safe," she said. "I never want anything to happen to you. You don't deserve it, after everything you do for me… for us…"

"Mizore," Saren said, sighing in frustration. "I just… I have to. I made a promise. I can never let anything happen to you." _That promise is really all that matters to me right now. You're… you're all that matters…_

Saren searched around for the walking stick, finally got to his feet, and helped Mizore up as well. "Come on," he said. "We have to keep trying to find Celsius' Tear."

She reluctantly followed. The light that had filtered into the chamber above had followed them down, and some of the crystals were luminescent as well. "It looks like it's a little easier to see down here," Saren said. "Kind of a relief. Still no sign of the flower, though."

"You hear running water?" Mizore asked.

Saren stopped and listened, closing his eyes. "Yeah, I do. It's further this way," he said. "At the very least, we can find our way out of the cave. Come on, let's get going."

They followed the sound of the water current, until they came to a large chamber. The walls were shimmering with crystalline light, and they found the object they'd been searching for. "Is that it?" Mizore asked. "It's so beautiful."

"It is. The flower said to freeze anything it touches," Saren said.

"Here, let me," Mizore said. She reached down and plucked the flower, and Saren smiled. Naturally, being a snow fairy, it would be rather impossible for the flower to freeze her. "This is all we needed, right? Let's get it back to Heimdall."

"Agreed," Saren said. "After we go back to Flanoir to rest. I don't know about you, but I'm a little tired."

"Yes," Mizore said. "We'll go back and rest first. We can head back to Heimdall in the morning."


	29. Chapter 29

**[29]**

The two of them placed the flower in a jar and kept it in Mizore's room. Saren came and got her, and the two went back out into the city. It was nighttime, and there was one specific thing Saren wanted her to see.

He took her up the hill, climbing a flight of stairs until they were at the largest church in the city. This particular Church of Martel was famous for some of the most important events in Aselia's history, as well as hosting the most weddings. But it wasn't the church he'd wanted her to see. Instead, they walked across from the church, to the small overhang in front of it. It was a simple pedestal made of stone, but the railing looked out over the entire city. All the lights shone with a magnificence Mizore had never seen before.

"This is… this is so beautiful," she said. "I couldn't dream of something like this, as long as I lived."

"This is one of the few places in all of Aselia that hasn't changed over the years. This lookout, and the church behind us, have been maintained constantly for millennia. Not a single aspect has been changed," Saren said.

"It's… It's romantic," she said. _This seems like the sort of place where all sorts of confessions come to light…_

Saren smiled and watched as she looked out over the city. "It certainly is," he said. "I really do miss so much about this world. I wish I had time to show you everything."

"You'll have plenty of time," Mizore said. "After all this is over… we can come back here…"

"Mizore, we really can't," Saren said, frowning. "Look, we've got to go back to Earth. We have to beat Kuyou and restore the barrier, and before we even go back we still have to-"

"Stop," Mizore said. "Please, let me say something first. Let me, while I have the strength and courage to say it. The reason I came with you was to watch over you and protect you. You've always done so much for me, and I felt powerless to return your kindness. I've been a wreck, and I've been a burden. Even now, you've been cursed because you tried to save me."

Tears formed in her eyes, and she continued. "The village is gone. My parents are gone. If we manage to beat Kuyou, my friends will be gone. But I'm afraid of something much worse, Saren. I'm afraid of you going, too," she said. "I didn't want you running off alone, without someone to watch over you. I wanted to be the one who could protect you, who could save you."

"But why?" Saren asked. "There's no reason to fear it. No reason to risk your life over it."

"There is a reason, Saren," Mizore said. Looking directly into his eyes, she added, "Because I love you."

In an instant, everything Saren thought would happen seemed to explode inside his head, while all his stomach wanted to do was implode. _She said it_, he thought. _Why would she… Dammit!_

He hammered his fist against the railing. "Dammit…" he said.

"Saren…" Mizore said, her eyes filling with tears again. "Saren, please… I…"

"Why would you say that…" Saren said, refusing to look at her. "Why would you tell me something like that right now?"

"Because it's true," Mizore said. "It has been for a long time. I even tried to ignore it, tried to believe it wasn't true, but it is."

Saren looked back at her, and she was shocked to see genuine anger in his eyes. "So regardless of anything else, you just decided to tell me. It doesn't matter… doesn't matter that we're seventeen light-years away from Earth. It doesn't matter that you belong there and I belong here. It doesn't matter that you're a snow fairy, and I'm a half-elf.

"It doesn't even matter to you, does it, that I won't even be born for another _three years_. It doesn't matter that I came from twenty-five years in the future, to a hellhole like Earth, or that I could care less about that planet," Saren said.

Tears began to flood Mizore's face, and she turned away. "I'm sorry," Mizore said. _I should've known better… He could never feel the same for me… He could never love me back… I didn't even know he was from the future… I just assumed…_ "I'm sorry, Saren… I never thought…"

"No, I know. You never thought there was a reason I was staying so distant," Saren said, walking closer to her, standing right behind her. "You never thought that it might be impossible for anything to happen. You never thought I might have somewhere else to go after this, like back home to Aselia, back home to the future.

"But the truth is, you're not the only one hiding things. You're not the only one with secrets. You're not the only one who had to hold back, Mizore. Because I've been hiding this for a long time, ever since the village was destroyed," Saren said.

"What do you… what are you…" Mizore said, still not facing him.

"Mizore, you don't get it… You wanted to hide the fact that you love me. And… I'll be damned, but I love you too," Saren said. "I love you, Mizore, and that's why this has been hard on me."

"But… but why…?"

"Because I knew things couldn't end well between us," Saren said. "I know I have to go home to the future, and it'll be a quarter century before we even see each other again. I didn't want to tell you this, then turn around and leave you behind. I'd never forgive myself. It would hurt too much."

Mizore slowly turned around to face him, searching his eyes. _He can't be… he has to be lying… just to make me feel better… Why is he telling me this…_

Saren put his hands on her arms, feeling the chill of her skin even through his gloved hand. "Mizore… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he said. He put his left hand behind her head, his right around her waist, and pulled her close, kissing her lips.

Her eyes opened in shock, her brain refusing to believe what it was processing. Saren refused to slacken his grip, though, and she finally relaxed into it, her arms snaking around his neck. When the kiss finally broke, she looked into his eyes. "Saren, I… I don't know what to say…"

"That's the problem," the prince said. "Neither do I. When all this is over, when Kuyou's defeated… what then? Where do we go?"

Mizore smiled. "I don't want to worry about that right now," she said. "I just want you to get better, to break this curse."

"I know," Saren said. "We have to get rid of this stupid thing. We've got too much work to do."

"In the morning," Mizore said. "Tonight, can we just relax?"

Saren smiled, trying not to let it become one of bitterness. "Alright," he said. "You win. Tonight, we'll enjoy the city. Tomorrow, it's back to work." He wrapped his right arm around Mizore, and she held herself against him. The two of them watched the city begin to slowly drift off to sleep, and watched the snow begin to fall.


	30. Chapter 30

**[30]**

**[Aselia; Heimdall]**

Mizore and Saren climbed the stairs to the elven elder's home once again, and knocked on the door. Lundgrom opened the door, inviting them in with a broad smile. "So, were the two of you successful?" he asked. Mizore produced the jar containing the Celsius' Tear, and the elder nodded. "Yes, yes, that is precisely the flower we need."

He stepped back in and got a pair of gloves, then took the jar from Mizore. "Normally, you need a pair of penguiner gloves to even be able to touch the flower. How did you manage to get it without them?" he asked.

"It's… kind of complicated," Saren answered. "Regardless, it wasn't much trouble getting to it."

"Well, that's good," Lundgrom said. "It will take some time for me to begin treatment. If you'd like, you can enjoy the hospitality of the village while your husband is here. I'd be careful, though. There's no telling how everyone would react to a half-elf being here."

Mizore blushed almost immediately. "Umm… I'm not a half-elf…" she said.

"And we're not married," Saren said, frowning.

"Oh? My apologies," Lundgrom said. "I thought, because the two of you were traveling together… But I must have been mistaken. Never you mind, never you mind. The village is still open to you, if you want to explore."

Mizore glanced at Saren, but the prince nodded. "It's okay, Mizore. I'll be fine. I'll come find you when I'm done," he said.

Mizore nodded and departed Lundgrom's home, stepping back out into the sun-drenched village. She began to walk back toward the entrance of the village, taking another good look at the surroundings. _This village really is peaceful_, she thought. _It's such a different environment from Flanoir, though._

She watched the few children in the village at play, some sitting on benches by the river studying, some just standing and talking. There was a small group huddled by the water's edge, and she walked past them. She heard their voices rising, and could make out what they were saying.

"So why is it you always have to pick her over me, huh?"

"Oh, come on, you know it's not like that."

"This is so stupid! I don't know why I'm even still here. Leave me alone!"

One of the girls broke away from the group and started running, almost barreling Mizore over in the process. "S-sorry…" she said.

Mizore smiled at her. "It's okay," she said. "Are you alright?"

The girl sniffed and looked down. "Val's so stupid… Why's he gotta play with the other kids all the time…?"

Mizore smiled. "Boys are stupid sometimes," she said. "It happens. What's your name?"

"Ireth…" the girl said.

"I'm Mizore," the snow fairy replied. "Tell me more about what's going on with Val?"

"Valen's… well, he and I have been friends forever," she said. "But lately it seems like he's making friends with everyone else, and… And I'm afraid he's just gonna forget me."

Mizore nodded. "So other kids have been trying to spend time with him," she said. "And he's paying less attention to you?"

"Yeah… but like I said, we've been friends forever… I just… I just wanted to spend more time with him…" Ireth said.

_She sounds a lot like me, back at the Academy…_ Mizore thought. "These new friends of Valen's… are they all girls, or are there any boys?"

"No. All girls. All stupid girls," Ireth said, frowning.

_Oh, poor child… I know exactly the kind of pain you're going through_, Mizore thought. She smiled at the girl, and said, "I know what you're going through."

"No you don't…" Ireth said. "What would you know about it?"

Mizore sat down in front of the girl and smiled up at her. "A few years ago, I had the same problem. There was a boy that I really liked, but there were a bunch of girls who all wanted to be around him," she said. "But after a while, I figured out the boy wasn't the same person I thought he was. After we'd known each other for a year or so, he started to change."

"What'd he change into?" the young elven girl asked.

"Well… that's not really important. What is important is, I realized he wasn't the one for me anymore," Mizore said. "We're still good friends, but we each made our own decisions. Sometimes those decisions drive you apart, and you realize you don't feel quite the same about someone that you used to. Or, they might bring you closer together."

"So… you're saying that maybe Valen's changing? That I might not be his best friend anymore?" Ireth asked.

"You might still be one of his best friends, but you might find out that you and he aren't supposed to spend all your time together," Mizore said. "And in a few years, you might go out in the world and find someone else you like more. You never know."

Ireth frowned, giving Mizore a skeptical look. "I don't know… if they haven't lived here, if I haven't known them that long, how could I like them more?"

The snow fairy smiled. "You'll just know. Somehow, you'll wake up and think about them, and not be able to get them out of your head. Just… don't worry about things like that now, though. Live your life and enjoy your childhood. Things will work themselves out much better after a while."

Ireth nodded. "I guess you're right…" she said. "Maybe he'll say something if I start doing things by myself, or start making new friends."

Mizore smiled. "Maybe he will. It's been my experience that if he's really your friend, he'll notice the change in your behavior and start trying to see if everything's alright."

"Okay… Thank you, Miss Mizore," the girl said. She got up and walked away, leaving Mizore sitting by the water's edge alone.

_I'm certainly glad I was able to help,_ she thought. _Hopefully everything will turn out alright for her_.

The snow fairy spent a while by the river, looking up at the clouds and thinking. Her mind drifted to Saren, and how he would be doing after this long. _Wonder what's taking so long, anyway. I had to have been out here for a couple of hours already._

She was just about to sit up and go look for him when he sat down on the grass beside her. "Hey, you," he said, smiling.

"Saren!" she said, sitting up. "You're feeling better?"

"I am now," he said. "Having the curse removed was excruciating. Apparently, it just didn't want to let go."

"I'm sorry," Mizore said. "Because of me, you-"

"Hey," he said, cupping her cheek with his right hand. "I don't care how much pain that curse put me in. The pain of losing you would've been more than I could bear."

She smiled and leaned her head against his. _One of these days, Ireth,_ she thought, _you'll find someone who makes you feel this way, both happy and scared at the same time, both invincible and vulnerable. Maybe it'll be Valen, and maybe not, but one day you'll find someone who loves you, and I hope you'll remember._


	31. Chapter 31

**[31]**

**[Earth; Youkai Academy]**

Ruby, Yukari, and Kurumu entered the Academy gates and were horrified at what they saw. Part of the main building had collapsed, a few trees had been ripped up and tossed. It was as if there was a violent natural disaster that had occurred in their absence. _Of course, if everyone here was reverted to their monster forms, it would make sense. That's enough of a disaster_, Ruby thought. _I hope the Director is alright_.

The three women continued their trek into the school, trying to suppress feelings of horror and dread at the destruction. After a short while, they arrived at the Director's office. Ruby timidly knocked on the door.

"Come in," a voice said from inside. Ruby opened the door and entered, Yukari and Kurumu following her.

"Director," Ruby said. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Ruby," the Director answered. "The students…. It seems they've decided to take a break from formal education."

"So we've seen," Ruby answered. "Have you had any word from?"

"Not yet," the Director said. "She seems to be adamant about remaining separate from this conflict."

"I was afraid of that," Ruby said. "Director, is there any way we could remove the control unit from the seal?"

"Why, what good could that possibly do?" the Director asked.

"An ally of ours has requested we bring it to him. He seems to think he can repair the barrier, or create a new one altogether," Ruby said.

"Is it that boy you brought with you last time?" the Director asked. "What would he know about it?"

"Well, strictly speaking, sir… I don't believe he's human. He seems to have quite extensive knowledge of magic, and he's far stronger than any human I've ever met," the witch answered.

"Do whatever you wish," the Director answered. "It's not like we can keep the barrier intact right now. Even then, I doubt many students would come back. They seem to be too intent on destroying the humans."

"I'm aware, sir," Ruby said. "Hopefully, we'll have a solution for stopping the fight before it reaches a critical level."

"I don't see this as plausible, but I suppose we'll have to have faith in you," the Director said. "You know where the altar is. Best of luck, Ruby."

**[Aselia; Euclidian Continent]**

Saren and Mizore set down the Rheaird just outside the Gaoracchia Forest. The dense expanse of wood was said to be haunted, though Saren had never taken stock in those stories. He'd mentioned it offhandedly to Mizore, though, and the snow fairy seemed to believe it more readily.

"Well," he said, "the good news is that we're not going in there. Not yet, anyway. No real need to, unless we have to visit Mizuho."

Mizore sighed in relief, but asked, "So where are we going?"

Saren pointed to a small town close by. "The town of Sybak. It's home to the Imperial Research Academy, which houses a vast store of information from Aselia's recorded history. I'm hoping it contains the information I need."

"What information?" the snow fairy asked.

"Information about the Kharlan War," Saren answered. Upon seeing her blank look, he explained further.

"About nine thousand years ago, a war erupted between the two major continents of this world, Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. There were millions of casualties over the years. The war went on for about a millennium. Finally, there was a peace treaty reached, made by a half-elf named Mithos. He and his companions had worked with both sides to make an agreement. A short while later, some crazed human murdered Mithos' sister, Martel.

"The death of his sister drove Mithos to the depths of insanity. He used powers he'd gained in his journey to physically separate the two worlds, creating an impenetrable barrier between them. Fast forward about four millennia. The barrier is just beginning to weaken, and people are able to pass from one world to the other. A group of people find out the secret about the end of the War, and work to reunite the two worlds, which is why Aselia is the way it is today," Saren said.

"So if you know so much about the Kharlan War, why do you need more information?" Mizore asked.

Saren frowned. "I'm looking for information relating to the barrier that was created. I'm wondering if there's a way to re-create it on Earth, to separate the human world from the monster world."

Mizore looked down at the ground as they walked. "But that means monsters would never be able to cross into the human world…" she said.

"Yes, but on the other side, the humans would never be able to harm monsters again," Saren said.

"But… it's not always like that… the humans don't find out about monsters… and even the ones who do… sometimes they're kind… you were," Mizore said.

Saren sighed softly, and took Mizore's hand. "I'm… still not strictly human," he said. "I guess you could say I'm part of a rare breed that knows what it's like to be hated and outcast."

Mizore looked up at him. "You mean… you're a half-elf?" she asked.

Saren narrowed his eyes. "How'd you gather that?" he asked.

"Well, you said you're not human, but you're also not a monster," Mizore answered. "But humans can't use magic, and no one could be powerful enough to fight a demon like Kuyou and live to tell about it. So that led me to think that maybe you were one of the half-elves you were talking about."

Saren smiled. "You really are remarkable," he said. "Yes, I'm a half-elf. Kurumu and Ruby know, as did your father. I kept it from Lundgrom for awhile, but I think he figured it out anyway."

"Why is it such a big deal?" Mizore asked.

"Half-elves are still looked down upon here," Saren said, frowning. "The Dynast-King has been working for a couple of years to change that, sending envoys to the elves and cracking down on those who persecute half-elves without just cause. It's really slow going, though."

"The Dynast-King sounds like a fair man," Mizore said. "I wonder if we'd be able to meet him."

"Probably not while we're here," Saren said. "He occasionally goes back and forth to Earth. If I'm not mistaken, he's there now."

They entered the Research Academy, and Saren set about his task of looking for information. "You weren't kidding," Mizore said. "There's enough material in here to keep someone busy for decades… "

"Well, assuming someone could read all of it," Saren said. "There are some things sealed away that are written only in the Angelic Language."

"Angelic Language?"

"The ancient language from before the Kharlan War. It could only be read by high clerics or the Chosen," Saren answered, skimming along a row of books.

"Chosen?" Mizore asked, still confused.

Selecting a book and pulling it from the shelf, Saren said, "The Chosen of Regeneration. One of the results of the world being split in two was that both halves had to share a single supply of mana. One world would have a generous mana flow, while the other would have almost none. The Chosen of Regeneration set out to increase their world's mana flow, only it was discovered that the conclusion of this journey saw the Chosen turned into a soulless doll, a vessel for the soul of Martel, Mithos' sister."

"That's… that's awful," Mizore said. "And this went on for how long…?"

"Four thousand years, right up until Mithos was defeated by the last two Chosen and their companions," Saren said, thumbing through the book he'd pulled out. "Now the title of Chosen is purely ceremonial, with the journey being one for the sake of tradition."

"Well, that's good," Mizore said. "At least now there's no problem with-"

"Saren? Is that really you?!" a girl's voice said excitedly. Mizore barely had time to turn when a brown-haired girl bolted past her, hugging the prince around the neck.

"What the…" Saren barely had time to say before the girl made contact.

"I'm so happy I found you here! It seems like so long since you just left without even saying goodbye to me," the girl said. Mizore's eyes widened in shock, and the girl looked up at her, adding, "Who's this chick? Someone you just picked up somewhere?"


	32. Chapter 32

**[32]**

Mizore's eyes flashed dangerously, and Saren rubbed his eyes with his hand. "Excuse me," Mizore said, her voice filled with frozen venom. "What did you say? And just who the hell are you, anyway?"

The brown-haired girl smirked. "Me? Well, I'm the only woman in Saren's life. Aside from his mother, of course," she said.

Mizore looked from Saren to the girl, then back again. "I see," Mizore said. "So this was why you came back here? To meet this… this girl? And you even brought me along?"

"Mizore, that's not even _close_ to-"

"Well, I'm glad I found out. I'm going to go find somebody who can take me back to Earth," Mizore said, storming out of the room.

Saren glared up at the brown-haired girl standing beside him. "Thanks, Kira. Way to screw things up," he said. He got up and went after Mizore. The snow fairy had already left the academy, and was almost out of the city gates. "Mizore, wait a second, would you?"

Mizore's left hand became wrapped in ice, taking on the shape of rather large talons. Several spires of ice sprang to life between the two of them, and Saren rolled his eyes, kicking them down. "Stay away from me," Mizore said.

"No, not until you stop and listen," Saren answered. He sped up, closing a hand around her wrist.

"Let go," Mizore said. "Let go or I'll freeze you right here."

"And since I'm holding on to you, you'll be unable to extricate yourself in the process," Saren said. "Now, would you like to listen, or will we be some awkward new ice sculpture adorning Sybak's gates?"

Mizore glared at him for several seconds, but finally relinquished the ice powers. In return, Saren let go of her wrist. "Make it quick," she said.

"The girl who approached me just now wasn't some random woman, nor is she the most important woman in my life. She's a nuisance," Saren said, "whose name is Kira Tyndall."

Mizore's eyes widened in recognition. "That's… that's your sister?" she asked. "Oh… Oh, Saren, I'm so sorry…"

Saren snorted in amusement and shook his head. "It's fine," he said. "She can be a little overbearing at times, and she takes a perverse pleasure in teasing me. I probably should have explained that a little better."

"No, it's fine," Mizore said. "I just… I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions… I don't like competition, after all."

"Understandable," Saren replied. Extending an arm behind him and pointing a finger, he added, "And _you_, Kira Nichole, have some apologizing to do."

"What'd I do?" Kira asked, popping up from her hiding place behind the gate.

Saren turned on his heel and glared at her again. "Let's start with jumping me in the Research Academy. Embarrassing me and almost causing a whole host of problems. Following me back to this time in the first place," the prince said, keeping his voice low enough they wouldn't be overheard by passersby.

"Wait… you told her you're a time traveler?" Kira asked, jutting her chin to indicate Mizore. "You know what'll happen when you get back? Setsuna will kill you!"

"Setsuna's the least of our problems right now, Kira," Saren snapped. "The only reason I'm even on Aselia right now, against our parents' wishes, is so I can find information to help defuse a rather horrible situation on Earth."

"What situation?" Kira asked. "And what does she have to do with all this?"

"Mizore is the one who alerted me to the situation in the first place. There's a barrier on Earth, separating the human world from the realm of monsters," Saren said. "That barrier has collapsed, thanks to a rather power-hungry fox demon, and war is threatening to erupt between humans and monsters. That barrier has to be repaired or replaced, so we came here to look for information about the Kharlan War."

"But wait… you said the barrier between monsters and humans?" Kira asked. "She's not… I mean, she is human, right?"

Mizore's face broke into a mixed expression of shock and sorrow, and she turned her back on the siblings, walking slowly out of the gate.

Saren closed on Kira until there was barely three inches separating their noses. "Do me a favor. Learn to think before you speak, or else keep your mouth shut altogether. Idiot," he growled. He turned and followed Mizore, and Kira folded her arms in anger.

Saren found Mizore sitting at the base of a tree on the edge of the Gaoracchia Forest. He sat down in front of her, sighing. "Look, Mizore, I'm sorry…"

"It's fine," she said. "I just needed to get away from there. I should expect that not everyone likes the idea of monsters being in the human worlds or having human forms. After everything you and I have been through lately, I thought things would get better. Then your sister pops up and starts talking the way she does, and… well, she just pisses me off."

Saren shook his head. "You think she pisses you off after ten minutes. Try living with her for twenty years," he said. "I don't see how our parents can put up with her."

Mizore looked up at him. "I would imagine it's because she's their daughter," she said. "Just like you're their son. The love between a parent and child is usually enough to make them overlook any shortcomings. Of course, I didn't believe that until… well, until…" Tears began forming in her eyes, and Saren scooted over until he was sitting beside her, cradling her in his arms.

"I know, Mizore," he said. "I suppose you're right, that kind of bond can make a parent rather… well, willfully ignorant of a child's flaws. Particularly those annoying personality traits."

Despite herself, the snow fairy smiled weakly at him. "I suppose so," she said. "Saren… do you ever think about… well… having children?"

The question surprised the prince, so much so that he found it impossible to keep the expression from his face. "Well, no, not really," he said. "I've been immersed in studies for the past several years. Truth be told, you're the first real girlfriend I've had."

That fact certainly surprised Mizore. "Really? I didn't know…" she said. "I guess I figured since you were older than me…"

"Yeah, no, I haven't really had an interest in anything like that," Saren said. "Kira always said that I was mentally deficient and emotionally disabled, or something like that. I just… never thought of myself as having the time for it. Why do you ask?"

"No reason," Mizore said. _I should really learn to not let my mind wander… I'll end up making him afraid of me like I did with Tsukune…_ She looked up when she heard someone approaching. Kira strode across the plain toward them, clutching a book in her arms.

"Here," Kira said, handing Saren the book. "It's the one you were reading. I marked your place for you." Looking at Mizore, she said, "I, uh… I'm sorry, if I gave you the wrong impression. There's clearly a lot going on here I don't know about, and it's not really my place to interfere. I'll… I'll leave you two alone now…" She turned and walked away, heading for the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge which lay just beyond Sybak.

"Wonder why she's heading there," Saren said, frowning.

"Heading where?" Mizore asked.

"Meltokio. It used to be the capital of Tethe'alla. The palace is actually still there," Saren said. "It's on the other side of the bridge. Although, now that I think of it, we probably need to head there as well before we go back to Earth."

"We do?" Mizore asked.

Saren nodded. "Meltokio is where a lot of the weaponry and royal treasures are stored, since the palace there had a rather unique security system installed a short time ago," he said. "It shouldn't take long, though, and then we can head back to Earth and start working on setting things right again."

"I hope so," Mizore said. "And I hope Kurumu and the others are still alright…"


	33. Chapter 33

**[33]**

The Grand Tethe'alla Bridge was unlike anything Mizore had ever seen before. It spanned almost a half-mile, and Mizore saw several crystalline objects adorning the sides of the bridge. "What is all that?" she asked.

"They're Exspheres," Saren said, with a grim expression on his face. "The Grand Tethe'alla Bridge is a drawbridge, which is powered by a control system comprising some three thousand Exspheres."

Mizore noted the expression on her face, and asked, "Why does this seem like it's not a really good thing?"

Saren sighed. He'd really been hoping to avoid _this_ particular conversation. "Exspheres are…well, they're basically crystals that amplify the powers of people who wear them," he said, removing his glove from his left hand. "They ramp up physical power and speed, and increase the efficacy of magic. But unless they're properly controlled by something called a Key Crest, then they're extremely dangerous. They can actually cause a person's mana to go out of control until the person self-destructs. So, in short, each of these Exspheres powering the bridge... they're human lives."

Mizore gasped, a hand covering her mouth. "And that's… you're wearing one of them on your hand… that's what you keep covered?" she asked.

Saren nodded. "This one has been specially crafted; it has additional properties, some of which I'm not even sure of. In addition, the Key Crest bears the mark of the Aselian Royal Family."

"So wait," Mizore said. "You got that from the Royal Family? I'm guessing it was in the future?"

Saren nodded. "More or less," he said. "Let's… let's talk about something else."

"Alright…" Mizore said, looking down. "Umm… tell me more about where we're going?"

"Well," Saren said, "Meltokio was the capital of Tethe'alla when the worlds were separate. After they were reintegrated, Meltokio tried to maintain control as a singular capital, but a couple of hundred years' worth of politics saw it reduced to a small parliamentary capital. It's still home to the second largest palace in all of Aselia, as well as the Coliseum, which houses some of the most entertaining prize fights in the world. There are a lot of sights to see in Meltokio, to be honest."

"Really? That sounds like a lot of fun," Mizore said. "Umm… maybe we could take a little time to explore while we're there?"

Saren shrugged. "Meltokio's alright, but I still think Euclid's better," he said. "Although, exploring might not be a bad idea for you. I'm going to need to get into the Armory, and I'll need to use what stealth I can manage to do it. It'll be too dangerous if we both go."

"But… but… what if something happens?" Mizore asked. "What'll you do?"

"I'll figure a way out and meet you somewhere," Saren said. "The city is secure, so you won't have to worry about fighting anyone unless you actually end up in the Coliseum. But this is something I really need to do alone."

Mizore frowned, but nodded. "Alright…" she said. "I still wish you'd let me help, but I know I'd probably get in the way. I don't know my way around here… Maybe some exploration will do me some good."

Saren frowned. _I wish I didn't have to send her away, but it can't be helped. If I get caught in there, I can probably explain my presence. Hers won't be so easy… Dammit…_

Once they were inside the city's gates, Mizore grabbed Saren's hand and kissed him on the cheek. "Where do you want me to come find you?" she asked.

"If you go straight from here, up those stairs, you'll see the castle. The Church of Martel is just to the left. I'll be waiting there for you," the prince replied.

Mizore nodded and gave his hand one last squeeze before she set off to explore the city. Saren sighed as she walked off and made his trek directly to the palace. The prince climbed the stairs effortlessly, and it appeared as though the guards were in the middle of a patrol; there were only two in evidence at the gate. He began walking toward the palace, but neither one made a move to stop him. _Probably because I'm unarmed,_ he thought. _At least, as far as they can tell._

He continued into the palace, seemingly ignoring anyone who came near him. He passed dozens of servants while he was there, but scant few actual guards. _This could be good… If I can make it to their armory, I can pick up a disguise._

He moved through the corridors effortlessly, and finally found the first room he was looking for. There were a couple of guards still dressing in armor, but he managed to sneak in without alerting them to his presence. He noted that the armor suits seemed to be made for different types of warriors, and took time making his selection. Finally, he donned a suit of armor and left the armory, heading towards the palace's weapons storeroom.

The prince roamed the corridors, acting as a soldier on patrol, and thus didn't attract any undue attention despite his lack of weaponry. He kept walking toward the weapons room, and was only once stopped. He managed to evade the problem easily.

A few minutes later, he stood in the weapons room, examining bits and pieces of weaponry that had been collected over the past few millennia. He found an axe that seemed somewhat promising; it had elven script engraved in the blade and the grip was sturdy. _Not bad, but it's also not a sword. I'm not really used to fighting with this kind of weapon,_ the prince thought.

He continued his examination, and had almost given up when something caught his eye. Buried under a small pile of silvery pikes and shields, he saw a glint of red peeking out. He cleared away some of the other weapons, and picked up the item he saw: A sword with a blade of red metal.

He found the inventory tag and gave the faded text a read: "Redwing… Forged by elves… Niflheim…" _Niflheim?_ Saren thought. _That doesn't make sense. This says it was forged by elves. Unless… It may have been forged to fight against demons from Niflheim…_ He examined the blade more carefully, but could find no evidence to support any idea he might have had. _I suppose I'll just have to trust this weapon. It appears far more powerful than anything else in here, and the fact that it was forged by elves may give me an edge as well._

The prince quickly put the weapons away and left the weapons cache. _Now, if I remember right, the secret pass to the church should be right around here… _He went into one of the chambers near the throne room, and found himself in a room adorned with scarlet paint and carpeting. _Right, the Scarlet Chamber_, the prince thought. _Which means the secret panel should be right around…_

He pulled a vase from the shelf on the side wall of the room. The shelf clicked, then quietly shifted aside. "Here," he said, smirking. He tried to enter the secret passage, but the bulky armor made movement difficult. He backed out and quickly stripped it off, returning to his original clothing, though he added the axe and its belt to his attire. With the Redwing blade in his back-mounted sheath and the axe at his left hip, he re-entered the tunnel, closing the passage behind him.

He emerged from the tunnel inside the church, in what had to have been the Pope's office. The prince quickly ducked out of the office, into the main chapel. He stopped and looked up at the statue of Spiritua, the first Chosen. _Even in Tethe'alla, Spiritua is regarded as the first Chosen, even though she was from Sylvarant._

Saren stopped and thought about what he was doing. He'd come back to Aselia to get a book which would help him create a barrier that had not been seen in over four millennia. He'd brought a snow fairy from Earth here, revealing the existence of his world to an outsider. He'd also revealed his nature as a time traveler, breaking that particular rule.

The pure and simple truth was, he was taking a lot of risks. He would probably end up being in a lot of trouble by the time it was all said and done. _Assuming, of course, we even survive this encounter_, he thought. That particular sentiment scared him more than anything else. It wasn't so much the idea of him dying. That was an eventuality so far as he was concerned. He was a member of the Aselian Royal

Guard, and had to be ready to lay down his life at any time.

No, the problem was the risk to Mizore. He'd never quite realized how important she was to him. He'd promised her parents he'd protect her, but he was still uncertain. She was reckless, insisting on following him around and staying close to him. He'd never understood why until they'd talked in Flanoir. Upon hearing her confession, his heart had nearly broken. _And things still aren't over_, he thought, frowning. _Even if we make it through this… I still have to go home. I have to leave Mizore behind._

It was then he realized that, for the first time since he'd been in this time, he didn't want to leave. He had a reason to stay now. It wasn't fair! He couldn't leave her now. He didn't want to. Part of him considered rebelling, staying in this time even after his parents summoned him home. Part of him even thought about taking her with him, but he had no idea how that would affect the timeline.

He looked up at the statue of Spiritua once again, and thought about the Chosen's journey. They traveled the world, meeting all sorts of people, forming all sorts of relationships. Then, at journey's end, the Chosen was called up to Heaven, or as they knew it now, Derris-Kharlan. Their lives ended and they became angels, forgetting everything and everyone they'd known in life. That wasn't something Saren had ever wanted, and particularly not now.

He walked over to the altar in front of the statue and knelt before it, closing his eyes. "I… really don't know what I'm doing here," Saren said. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do or say… I just hope that you can hear me. I need guidance now, and right now you're the only ones I can turn to…"


	34. Chapter 34

**[34]**

Mizore had to admit that without Saren, she was completely and utterly lost.

Then again, it wasn't strictly her fault. They were in a place she was not familiar with, a world several light-years away from Earth. There was no way she could hope to know where she was. Still, the city they were in now couldn't be quite that large. She could find her way around well enough. The castle was situated atop a hill, too, so she could use it as a reference point.

She began by exploring some of the shops in the town. The marketplace was buzzing with activity. She saw so many people, from what appeared to be all walks of life. Several of the people, it seemed, were adventurers; they carried weapons, but their clothing was of a more casual nature. _Saren mentioned there being a Coliseum here. Some of these people may be competitors._

She smiled as she watched all the people wondering around, carrying on friendly conversations, helping one another out. _It's so much different from Tokyo,_ Mizore thought. _I've rarely seen anyone in Tokyo as concerned about one another as these people seem to be. It's like they all depend on each other to live instead of themselves._

She browsed a couple of the shops, and wished she could buy a trinket or two, but realized she didn't have any money, at least none that would suffice on this world. Slightly downcast, she walked away from the market, exploring more of the city. She walked back past the gates, and crossed in front of a building that had "Elemental Research Laboratory" on the sign. She thought it might be significant, but decided to just ask Saren about it later.

The snow fairy walked further into the city, and down a small flight of stairs. The buildings in this new area seemed older than most of the rest she'd seen. The people, she noticed, also seemed a little more ragged than those in the marketplace.

"For all that things have changed in the past four thousand years," a man said, "the more they stay the same."

"How do you mean?" Mizore asked.

"You must not be from around here," the man said. "This part of Meltokio is what is generously referred to as 'the slums'. People who live down here have lost it all at some point in their lives, or else never had anything to begin with. Granted, it's not as bad as it was. The Dynast-King has begun working to solve that particular problem, since he took the throne. But he has more than just this one city to worry about, he has the whole planet now. His primary focus seems to be half-elf equality, though. Not that that's a problem, mind you. It's a very noble cause."

"I see," Mizore said. "It seems like quite a lot of work, running a world. I wonder how one man can handle it all."

"Well, the Dynast-King doesn't handle all of it himself. His sister actually does a lot of work as well, and there's a small council of trusted advisors as well," the man said. "The truth is, nobody around here really sees the Dynast-King, partly because he's busy helping to repair the world after it was almost destroyed. Then there are rumors that he's on some other world, far away from here, on a diplomatic mission. If that's true, then things may get better still. Or, they may get worse. There's no way to tell."

Mizore nodded. "I wish there was more we could do for these people," she said.

"All we can do is believe in the Goddess Martel," the man said.

"Martel…" Mizore said. "What can you tell me about her?"

The old man smiled. "There's not much to it, honestly. Just what all schoolchildren are taught. Martel is revered as the Goddess of Aselia. She ended the Kharlan War thousands of years ago, and was called up to Heaven to watch over the whole world. It was she who revived the World Tree and made the planet bountiful again," he said. "If you really want to know more, though, I'd see about going to the Church of Martel, up next to the palace."

"Thank you," Mizore said. "I believe I will."

The old man nodded and walked further down into the slums, and Mizore turned to head back up to the castle. _Saren mentioned Martel was a half-elf, and that she was martyred after ending the Kharlan War… I had no idea she was thought of as a goddess…_ Mizore thought. _Even still, the people here seem so different from the ones on Earth. They're even trying to accept those that are different. I wonder why they're like that here, but they can't be like that on Earth…_

The snow fairy climbed the stairs to the middle district, taking note of the Coliseum over to her left. She continued walking, finally entering the palace district at the top of the hill. The castle itself was rather magnificent, despite being smaller than Youkai Academy had been. She wondered secretly what all had gone into the castle's construction.

Mizore found the church Saren had mentioned earlier, and took a few hesitant steps toward it. _I've heard plenty of jokes that any monster who set foot in a church would burst into flames, or die some other horrible, agonizing death,_ she thought. _I never believed it, but I still didn't want to chance it. Now that I'm older… well, I don't know. I still feel a little trepidation… but I also know who's waiting for me inside…_

She swallowed past the lump in her throat and strode into the church. What she saw inside made her gasp in quiet wonder. Dozens of pews lined each side of the structure, and stained glass windows adorned the walls. Torches set in between the windows provided additional illumination, but that still didn't explain the halo of light surrounding the statue at the far end of the church.

The statue was of a woman who wore a white robe and a diamond circlet. She wore a beatific expression and carried a book cradled in her left arm. _It almost reminds me of the statue in the human world… the Statue of Liberty, wasn't it?_

She took a few steps down the aisle of the church, and silently observed some of the worshipers in the church. Priests were scattered here and there, talking to people, offering prayers. But the sight that truly made her smile, though, was the familiar figure kneeling in front of the statue itself. Even from the entryway, she could recognize the slicked-back brown hair, hiking boots, and blue jacket of the man she'd fallen in love with.

She continued through the church, taking note of the images designed into the stained glass windows, images of an enormous tower, images of the woman that statue had been based upon, images of choirs of angels. The snow fairy smiled, feeling herself somewhat moved by what she saw.

Nothing could compare, however, with what happened when she drew closer to Saren. As she approached him, she heard him muttering softly, and was able to make out the words:

"…just hope that it's enough. I don't want to let you down. I don't want to let her down. I don't want to lose her. I'm just afraid that I'm not strong enough to do this on my own. And I'm afraid of going back home without her. I'm not exactly asking for a sign, but… well, if there's any way you can help, I'd appreciate it. I love her, and want to do what's right for her.

"But I know there's only so much I can ask," he said. "And I don't know if you can even help, but I hope you can. All I can do is keep going, and keep hope alive. And keep her alive. By Martel's will, I'll do all I can. Until next time." He hung his head, and Mizore smiled, kneeling beside him.

Placing a hand on his, she said, "I didn't want to disturb you."

"You weren't," he answered. "I guess I just got so wrapped up I didn't notice you were even here until just now."

"Praying to Martel?" she asked.

"Asking for advice. Asking for help from your parents," he said, grasping her hand.

Mizore indicated the statue. "Is this Martel?" she asked. "She's beautiful."

Saren shook his head. "This is Spiritua. She was the first Chosen to complete her journey of World Regeneration and ascend to Heaven," he answered. "It was said she had the strongest link to the Goddess Martel, which is why her statue is found in the churches. Additionally, there are only images of Spiritua in existence; no one knows what Martel looked like."

Mizore nodded. "So what were you talking to mother and daddy about?" she asked, smiling.

"I just… I need to know what to do," Saren said. "I'm worried about this battle with Kuyou, and about the barrier between the human and monster realms."

Mizore nodded again, squeezing his hand. "We'll deal with our problems when we come to them," she said. "For the time being, all we can do is trust in each other, trust in our friends, and trust in the Goddess Martel."

Saren looked at her, quirking an eyebrow. "The Goddess Martel?"

The snow fairy smiled. "I met a few people in the city who told me about her," she said. "And who mentioned some of what the Dynast-King is doing. He sounds like a fascinating man, by the way. It's a shame he isn't available for us to meet with right now."

"I'm sure I could find him if I tried," Saren said, smiling. "In the meantime, we've done everything we set out to do here. We should get back to Earth and start working to save it."


	35. Chapter 35

**[35]**

**[Earth; Japan (Human world)]**

The Otherworldly Gate opened, and deposited Saren and Mizore on the street. Mizore swayed for a moment on the spot, and Saren put his hands on her shoulders, trying to help steady her. "Still a little disorienting?" he said, smiling. "It'll get better… Although, hopefully we won't have to make that trip again anytime soon."

Mizore nodded, and tried to smile. "I'll be alright, Saren…" she said quietly. "Let's get going…" She swayed again, and reached out to Saren to catch herself.

"No, let's sit down for a second first," he said, helping her over to a bench nearby. "These trips are taking their toll on you."

"I'm sorry…" Mizore said. "I'm being a burden on you again…"

"No, Mizore, you're not. I promise," Saren said. He smiled and hugged her closer to him. "I know it seems like we've been bouncing back and forth lately, but we're almost done. It won't be a problem too much longer." He looked down at her, and noticed she had her eyes closed.

"Mizore…?" he asked, shaking her gently. "Mizore, you alright?" He frowned and reached a hand up to her cheek. Her temperature was still cool, but significantly warmer than normal. _What?! How is her temperature that high? Something's wrong here. Have to get help… Have to find someone in the human world to do it, though… I really only have one option._

Despite the inherent danger, she was glad they'd decided to go through with it anyway.

Not that she was surprised. Her best friend, Makoto Kino, was notoriously stubborn, especially of late. She and her fiancé seemed to share that particular trait, and Ami secretly wondered if this wasn't just a demonstration of that combined force.

_Not that they needed to demonstrate anything_, Ami mused. She'd been as surprised as anyone to see Adrian's raw power, particularly against some of their most daunting opponents ever. Despite having their powers enhanced, the swordsman had managed to defeat them one by one.

But then, the swordsman's greatest battled had come, almost back-to-back. He'd had to face his sister alone, and then battle his own father. He'd only won because Makoto had insisted on standing with him in that final conflict, and in doing so had saved his life. Incidentally, according to Makoto, that was about the time Adrian had proposed. It seemed that, even faced with the prospect of death, he still wanted to make sure they had something to live for.

_And now the two of them have another challenge to face together_, Ami thought. Despite the reports of monster sightings and people going missing, Adrian and Makoto had insisted on holding their wedding ceremony as planned. It seemed foolish to most outsiders, and many churches had reused to accommodate them. Rei, however, had overcome her dislike of Adrian and offered to conduct the ceremony herself.

"Not that I'm thrilled about it, anyway," Rei had said. "I still think I should be getting married before you do." Regardless, she'd been just as enthusiastic as the rest of them about planning the wedding. Even Usagi had tried to pitch in, although she constantly offered up suggestions from her own wedding.

Ami took a break from the computer for a few minutes, stretching and rubbing her eyes. Between planning and classwork for medical school, she'd been working almost nonstop for several days. She would really have preferred a swim to help her relax, but she knew there was still much work to be done with the next, final few days.

_I can't believe it snuck up that quickly,_ Ami thought. _All the planning we've been doing, and the rehearsal is __less than a week__ away now. _She sighed softly, thinking about all the people that were sure to be in attendance. _I could always hope Urawa would be there, but I'm not sure. I haven't heard from him in a few years._ The boy, a psychic, had been one of the very few people Ami had ever developed genuine feelings for. Makoto had been the one who kept encouraging her to talk to him, too. _If anything ever did come of it, I would have her to thank. She and all my friends have done so much for me, and I owe all of them_.

She smiled and got up from her chair, walking back to her room to find one of her photo albums. She supposed it was one of her more old-fashioned preferences, but the idea of having tangible proof of her past seemed like a good thing to her. It showed the heart, the emotion, and captured it in a far more lasting form than technology would be able to.

She sat down on her bed and begin leafing through the pages, reliving a new memory with each photo she had. She smiled as she thought about the days back in middle school and high school when she'd first met her friends, and was amazed to think about exactly how long they'd known one another. _It really has been a long road_.

She was surprised to hear a knock at her door. She quickly put the photo album away, and wondered who had come to call on her. The knocking continued, and she walked from her bedroom to the door.

The knocking seemed to increase in urgency every few seconds, and finally, Ami opened it. Her jaw dropped as she regarded the sight in front of her; a man clad in a blue jacket carried a purple-haired girl in his arms, a pleading look on his face. "Ami Mizuno?" he asked.

"Adrian?" she said, trying to place the unfamiliar brown hair. The eyes seemed similar, but the hairstyle was vastly different.

The man shook his head. "No, I'm not Adrian. My name is Saren. I… she… we need your help, Ami. It's a matter of life and death."


	36. Chapter 36

**[36]**

Ami's eyes widened in disbelief as the man at her door spoke. "Wait a moment. How do you know who I am? How did you even know to find me here?"

"It's a complicated story," Saren said. "The short version is that I'm an ally from the future. What matters now is that I need your help."

"But why me specifically?" Ami asked. "Why not go to a hospital?"

"She can't be treated there. Too dangerous," Saren said. "And I need your expertise, both as a student of medicine, and as someone familiar with the ice element, Sailor Mercury."

Ami tried to hide her surprise and nodded. "Alright, come in," she said.

Saren carried Mizore into Ami's apartment, and Ami directed him to lay the snow fairy on the couch. He knelt in the floor at her side and closed his eyes. "Thank you," he said.

"It's alright," Ami answered. "But you know I need an explanation. Who are you, really? And who is that girl? Why is it dangerous for her to go to a hospital?"

"Her name is Mizore. Mizore Shirayuki. She's a snow fairy," Saren answered.

"A snow fairy? But I didn't think fairies existed except in, you know, fairy tales," Ami said.

"They do. They're considered a Class A monster," Saren explained.

Ami's face brightened with understanding. "That makes more sense," the blue-haired girl said. "Any hospital would see she's not human."

"Right. And even if they tried to help, the treatment may kill her," Saren said. "Her body temperature right now is too high, though it's extremely low for human standards."

"Do you have an accurate measurement?" she asked. "And a basis for comparison?"

Saren nodded, and said, "I've got readings with me. But the technology is also future-based." He brought up his left arm, pressing a button hidden in the glove he wore. Almost at once, a holographic interface enveloped his arm, complete with a small keyboard. He pressed a few buttons on it, and a miniaturized display appeared over his arm.

"What's that?" Ami asked. "It looks familiar. I can see certain elements I recognize."

"It's a fusion of Aselian and human technology, one of the early forerunners to Crystal Tokyo's technology," Saren said. "Or so I've been told. The holographic technology is Aselian in nature, so only someone with an Exsphere can use it properly. The scanning apparatus and a few of the other features are based from Earth."

"I wonder who could create such a thing," Ami muttered.

Saren gave her a pointed look, but only said, "The readings displayed now are ones I took of Mizore about two months ago, while we were in her village. Her body temperature was 33.2 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the high side of normal for her race. The only reason it was that high then was because she'd been engaged in physical activity."

"I see," Ami said. "Other than that, her physiology appears remarkably close to human. There seem to be a few minor differences, but the fact that she's a monster explains those."

Saren nodded. "Now look, though," he said, pressing another button on the device. "Her current temperature is 44.2 degrees, and it's still rising. Her pulse is extremely elevated."

"Was there anything else?" Ami asked.

"She was extremely dizzy," Saren said. "She almost fell over twice, and when we sat down, she passed out."

"I see," Ami said. "All of those are common symptoms of heat exhaustion. What exactly has been happening?"

"Truth be told, not much. We've just come back from Aselia," Saren said. "We were looking for a way to repair the damage done to the barrier."

"What barrier?" Ami asked.

"The barrier that separates the monster world from the human world. I thought there might be a solution in the archives in Sybak," Saren said.

"Well, that answers another of my questions," Ami said. "The only people who can travel freely between Earth and Aselia are members of Adrian's family. If I had to guess, I'd say you're his son."

Saren didn't immediately reply. Finally, he said, "Yes. I'm Adrian's son. He sent me back to this time, to Earth, to study humanity in this period. But Mizore-"

"She'll be fine, as long as we get her into an ice bath quickly," Ami said. "Give me a hand."

The two of them quickly went downstairs to the closest store, and came back with four bags of ice. Ami emptied the bags into her bathtub and filled it with cold water, while Saren picked Mizore up from the couch and carried her into the bathroom.

"You'll have to help her get undressed, I think," Saren said.

Ami shook her head. "Having her clothes on when she goes into the bath will keep her cooler for the time being," she said. "Let's get her in here."

Saren slowly lowered the snow fairy into the ice bath, registering the drop in temperature in his hands as he did so. _It's just about right,_ he thought. _It feels like both the snow fairy village and Flanoir. Hopefully this does the trick_.

He shook the water from his glove and activated the holographic device again, taking another scan of Mizore. Her temperature began to drop, her pulse started to fall, and her blood pressure began to normalize. "It's working," he said, showing Ami the readout.

"Good," Ami said. "We need to find out why this happened in the first place. If she's been out in the public domain, it's obvious she has a method of regulating her body temperature despite her surroundings."

"She uses a box filled with dry ice to sleep at night," Saren said. "I'm not entirely sure about the daytime."

He heard the sound of movement in water and looked down at the tub. Mizore's hand had started to move, and her eyes fluttered open slowly. "Saren…" she muttered hoarsely.

"Mizore," he said, reaching to grab her hand. "Are you alright?"

"Throat's dry…" she said. She realized she was laying in a tub of ice water, and dipped her chin to drink. "That's better… Where are we…?"

"We're safe," Saren said. "I had to bring you here to help you get better."

Ami looked down at the girl and smiled. "Are you alright, Miss Shirayuki?" she asked.

"Fine… who are you?" Mizore asked.

"This is Ami Mizuno," Saren said. "She's a friend of my parents. She's also studying to be a doctor."

"Human?" Mizore asked. "Sorry, that was a stupid thing to say…"

"It's quite alright. Saren's already explained things to me," Ami said. "I'm not going to harm you. You'll be safe here."

"Alright…" the snow fairy replied. "I'm sorry to be a bother…"

"Oh, don't start that," Saren said. "I'm just worried about you. You passed out right after we got back from Aselia. Your body temperature was about a third higher than what it should be."

"The sucker…" Mizore said, absently reaching into the pocket of her hoodie. "It's… it's a refrigerant…"

Ami nodded. "That would explain how she's been regulating her body temperature during the day," she said.

"Ran out…" Mizore said. "While we were in Meltokio…"

Saren rubbed his eyes with his gloved hand. "Why didn't you say anything?" he asked.

"Thought it'd last longer than it did… I'm sorry…" Mizore whispered.

"It's alright. How do we get more?" Saren asked.

"It can be recharged by being in a cold place for a long period of time," Mizore said. "I usually throw it in my ice box at night, but I didn't have it with me in Aselia."

"And Ruby and the others have it now," Saren said. "But with that being the case… I have an idea."

"Will it involve magic?" Ami asked.

"Yes, but nothing destructive," Saren said. "I can summon Celsius. I should be able to use her power to recharge Mizore's refrigerant."

"Celsius…?" Mizore asked. "But I thought…"

"The cave we visited was her Temple, which is where she rests unless she's called upon," Saren said. "I should be able to summon her, despite being in the past. She'll respond to the ring I have and recognize me as the pact-maker."

"Alright," Ami said. "I just don't really want anything destroying my apartment. There are a lot of important materials in here."

"I understand," Saren said. "And hopefully we'll be out of your way soon. I'm sorry to be a bother, but we really had nowhere else to turn."

"It's alright," Ami said. "I was just thinking earlier about how much I owe your mother. I'm more than happy to help you if I can."

"Thank you…" Mizore said. "I'm glad there are still people like you here. Perhaps if there were more of you, we wouldn't have to live in secret…"

Saren nodded. "We're going to fix this," he said, standing up. "Just have faith for right now. Try to relax and keep your temperature down, while I see if I can summon Celsius."

Mizore smiled weakly up at him. "Alright," she said as Saren left the room.


	37. Chapter 37

**[37]**

Ami and Saren closed the door to the bathroom, trying to contain the cold air as much as possible. Saren had Mizore's refrigerant sucker in his hand, and set it carefully on a table in Ami's living room. "So, Saren," Ami said. "Is there anything you can tell me about the future? Your parents, for example."

"Not much," Saren said. "Simply because of the limitations placed on us when we travel in time. You have Setsuna to thank for that."

Ami smiled. "I know. It can be a hassle, and I normally try to overlook it, but curiosity does get the better of me sometimes."

Saren nodded. "It happens," he said. "I can tell you that my parents have been married for twenty-five years. They're very happy, despite the constant back-and-forth between Earth and Aselia."

Ami nodded. "I see. And I'm assuming that relations between the two worlds have been formalized, hence the shared technology," she said.

"Not exactly," Saren said, frowning. "The incorporation of Earth and Aselian technology was more of a… private venture, undertaken by one of the most intelligent people we know."

Ami smiled. She had a feeling she knew what Saren was saying, even though he was forbidden from saying it. "I see. Well, the good news is that things are still going well in the future, from the sound of it."

"As far as I can tell," Saren said. "Part of the reason I undertook this mission to restore the barrier, though, is to preserve that future. I studied this time period extensively before I came here, and I can't remember reading anything about a monster attack of this scale, so I have to prevent it from happening."

Ami nodded. "Just make sure you remember you're not alone here," she said. "You do have friends you can call on."

"I know," Saren said. "But I want this to stay fairly isolated. If a bunch of humans suddenly start appearing in the monster world and fighting openly, it could be the spark that ignites a full-scale war, just the same as if monsters came here."

"Let me ask you something, before you start summoning," Ami said. "Have you told her yet?"

"Told who?"

"Mizore," Ami said. "Have you told her?"

"Where I'm from? Yes," Saren said. "I had to tell her that prior to my taking her to Aselia. And she knows I'm from the future, too."

Ami smiled. "That's not exactly what I meant," she said. "Have you told her how you feel?"

Saren frowned and looked at the floor. "Yes," he said quietly. "I promised her parents a few months ago that I would do anything to keep her safe. It started out as just that, but then I realized that I was defending her because I honestly wanted to, and would have done so all along. I just didn't want to say anything."

"Why not?" the blue-haired girl asked.

"Because I'm from the future," Saren said. "She's from this time. When I go back…"

"You'd have to leave her behind," Ami said. "Or at least, you're afraid you'd have to."

"She's already lost her parents. They were murdered shortly after we left her village, by the very being who's responsible for collapsing the barrier," Saren said. "She's already lost her family and her home. I didn't want to tell her how I felt, because when I have to go back…"

"Saren, I understand," Ami said. "She has lost quite a lot, and I know that you're just like your father. You don't want to make that pain any worse, so you'll turn everything inward. But that may not be the best decision. She may be able to see how much you're hurting yourself."

"I know," Saren said. "That's why I have to try to appear stronger. I don't want to let this get to me, because I'll lose my objectivity. That's one of the things you taught me."

"Me?" Ami asked, arching an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure if I told you that, I was referring to it in a medical sense."

"You were," Saren said. "But it applies tactically, as well, at least in situations like this. The fact of the matter is, I do love Mizore. I want to stay with her. But one of us will end up having to sacrifice everything."

"Then that's a decision you'll have to make," Ami said. "But not until the time is right. This is not that time. Right now, you have to do what you can to save her."

Saren nodded. "You're right. You may want to stand back." Ami moved out of the way, and Saren began gathering mana. It would take an enormous store to pull this off, but hopefully it would work. If not… well, then the only hope was to take Mizore back to Aselia, back to Flanoir, and keep her there for the time being while he made the pact again.

He kept his mind clear, focusing only on what he was trying to accomplish. Finally, when he felt he'd collected enough mana, he began the incantation necessary: "I call upon the Disciple of Everlasting Ice. I summon thee: Come, Celsius!"

At first, there was no reaction, and Saren began to wonder if the summoning had even worked. Finally, though, an icy blue orb began to glow into existence, growing brighter and larger with each passing second. It resolved itself into a human shape, a pale, blue-haired woman clad in boots and a flowing skirt. The woman slowly descended to the floor, touching down softly. The air began to cool almost immediately.

"Who are you, and why have you summoned me?" the woman asked, looking directly at Saren.

"Celsius," he said. "I am Saren Tyndall, a pactmaker from twenty-five years hence. I ask that thou lend me thy power. I've called you here to help save the life of someone dear to me."

"Winter's breath does not heal," Celsius said. "It can only freeze. Stop wasting my time."

Saren shook his head and retrieved Mizore's sucker from the table. "The one who needs you is an ice elemental, a snow fairy. She survives because of this item."

Celsius took the item and studied. "This has been drained of magical energy," the Summon Spirit said. "If you wish it, I can enchant it so it remains of use forevermore."

Saren nodded at Celsius. The Summon Spirit concentrated her power on the sucker, causing it to glow with a faint aura. The temperature in the room dropped drastically, and Saren noticed Ami shiver involuntarily.

Finally, after several minutes, Celsius said, "It's done," and handed the sucker back to Saren. The prince took it, bowing in gratitude. "I sense a number of strong monster presences nearby. I don't have the strength to fight them all. I must rest now, pact-maker." With that, the Summon Spirit disappeared.

Saren watched the last few wisps of mana fade, then looked down at the sucker. "Hopefully this will help," he said. "I don't have any other ideas to fall back on if it doesn't."

The sound of the bathroom door creaking open snagged Saren's attention. Mizore's bluish eyes peeked out at him from the crack in the door. "Saren… are you out there…?" she asked.

The prince smiled. "I'm right here, Mizore," he said. "Are you feeling better now?"

"Yes… I noticed the air got colder a minute ago… What's going on…?" she asked.

Saren handed her the sucker. "I summoned Celsius just now. Supposedly, she enchanted your sucker so you could use it and not have to worry about the refrigerant running out," he said.

She popped the sucker into her mouth and closed her eyes. "Oh, yeah… that's much better…" she said, smiling and opening her eyes. "Thank you… Umm… Any chance I could get some dry clothes, or something…?"

Ami smiled at the snow fairy. "I have a bathrobe you can borrow while we do your laundry," she said. "In the meantime, I want to make sure you're actually well enough."

Mizore smiled back. "I feel a lot better, thank you…" she said. "I guess I just got too overheated with all the travel… It's something I have to get used to… I don't plan on going back to the snow fairy village any time soon…"


	38. Chapter 38

**[38]**

"The immediate problem we have," Saren said, "is the difficulty of this particular enchantment."

Over a week had passed since Saren had summoned Celsius in Ami's living room. He and Mizore had made their way back to the monster realm and regrouped with Ruby, Yukari, and Kurumu.

"I agree," Ruby said. "I've never even seen formulas like this before."

"And then there's the problem with the Sword of Ice," Kurumu said. "You don't exactly have that on you anymore."

"Don't remind me," Saren said, rubbing his eyes. Realizing that Kuyou had possession of Fenrir was the most frustrating part of hiding out. He needed to get that sword back before the demon began using it.

"And what's this down here," Yukari said, "about a diamond ring?"

"It's a diamond pact ring…" Mizore said. "It's used to summon something from Saren's home… right?"

The prince smiled. "Yes, that's it exactly. The diamond pact ring allows the bearer to summon Origin, who has the power to create the Eternal Sword, which is the weapon needed to create this barrier. The trouble is, the Eternal Sword can only be crafted by combining Fenrir and Odin. Unfortunately, I don't have either."

"Who has Odin, then?" Kurumu asked.

"My father should have it," Saren said. "But the trouble is, I can't really disturb him right now. And I really don't need to bring up the fact that I lost Fenrir to a demon. He'd go ballistic."

Mizore frowned. "I'm sorry… Because of me, you…"

"Oh, don't start," Kurumu said. "He saved your life. He knew what he was doing. To be honest, if he thought some stupid sword was more important than you, I'd have killed him anyway."

The snow fairy sighed and shook her head. "But the fact that you ended up losing your sword…"

Saren held up a hand to stop her. "The loss of Fenrir is a setback, but a temporary one. We can get it back last, if we need to. In the meantime, I still have the two weapons I found in Aselia. Besides, I still haven't had the opportunity to test Redwing yet."

"That reminds me. I haven't seen that weapon yet," Ruby said. "I'm interested in it."

Saren nodded and pulled it from its sheath, its red blade gleaming in the sunlight. "I found it buried in the weapons room in Meltokio," he said. "There's some kind of elven writing on it, but I'm not familiar with it."

Ruby stretched a hand toward it, but the blade pulsed once, and a bolt of electricity arced toward the witch. "What the-!"

Saren's eyes narrowed at the blade. "Well that is interesting," he said.

"Here, let me try," Kurumu said. She reached out a hand, but received the same reaction from the blade. "Ah! Son of a bitch!" she shouted, pulling her hand back.

"It appears to have some sort of magic to prevent it being used by monsters," Mizore said. "I wonder why it didn't affect you."

"I would imagine it's because of the elven blood I possess," Saren said. "The same blood that allowed me to summon Celsius and use magic also protects me from this sword's magic."

"That could be beneficial, since it means Kuyou can't use it," Ruby said. "On the other hand, if someone else has to get the sword to you, then it could prove to be a detriment."

"Hopefully it won't come to that," the prince said.

"Yes, hopefully," Ruby said. "In the meantime, we have to figure out how to acquire the other sword and the ring. Any ideas?"

"Only one, I'm afraid," Saren said. "I have to go and meet my father."

"Makoto Kino, do you swear to take this man to be your husband, to have and to hold, to love and cherish, so long as you both live?"

She smiled up at him, a smile that carried up into her green eyes, and said, "I do."

"And you, Adrian Tyndall, do you swear to take Makoto to be your wife, to have and to hold, to love and cherish, so long as you both live?"

He smiled back at her, nodding solemnly. "I do," he said.

"Are there any objections to this union?" Rei Hino asked, looking out at the small group that had assembled at the Hikawa Shrine. No one dared say a word; all of them wore smiles, happy that one of their own had found where she belonged. "Then I pronounce you man and wife."

Adrian lifted the veil covering Makoto's face, and kissed her lips almost gingerly. He was caught off guard when she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, intensifying the kiss. All the guests laughed, erupting into applause, and the two broke apart.

Makoto looked out at the crowd, and wiggled the bouquet she held. Rei rushed past them to join the crowd of women. All of her friends were in the group, save Usagi, who had already been married to Mamoru. She turned her back on the crowd, and threw the bouquet over her shoulder.

The bundle of flowers bounced between the hands of Rei and Minako, but finally ended up landing in the clasped hands of Ami. Makoto spotted this and began to laugh, prompting everyone else to join in as the blue-haired girl blushed.

Adrian felt Makoto grab his hand and give it a tug, pulling him from the makeshift altar and toward the long staircase leading to the street. The swordsman marveled at how she looked in her dress, unable to fathom how he'd been so fortunate as to end up here, able to find her, and then for the two of them to fall in love and make it to this day.

He began to smile in earnest as they descended the steps, but his smile fell as he saw two figures standing at the bottom of the staircase. As they drew closer to them, he saw that one was a man about his age, and had brown hair and blue eyes, sporting a blue jacket. The other, a slightly younger woman, was dressed in a pair of jean shorts and white hoodie, and had purple hair.

"Congratulations," the man said, bowing and smiling. "I pray for nothing but happiness and fortune for the two of you."

"Thank you," Makoto said, smiling. "You're so sweet."

"I'm afraid you won't think so," the man said, "after I say what else I mean to say."

"You need our help," Adrian said. "This is about the monster threat."

Makoto sighed. "I suppose that was inevitable," she said. "I suppose it's a good thing we decided to forego the formal reception."

The man nodded, and said in a grave tone, "I've come to seek your aid, Adrian Tyndall. The fate of the entire world is at stake, and I fear you're the only one able to help."

The purple-haired girl's eyes widened with slight surprise. _Clearly, she hasn't been told who she was looking for,_ Adrian thought. _I wonder what else she hasn't been told._ "You seem to know a lot about me," he said. "Would you mind telling you something about yourselves?"

"His name is Saren," a female voice said. "He's from the future, and the glove on his left hand is hiding an Exsphere."

Adrian looked for the source of the voice, and found her lurking behind a tree. "Kira," he said. "You decided to crash the wedding too?"

"Don't be silly," Kira answered, smiling. "I wanted to see you and mother getting married in person, instead of just watching a video."

Makoto smiled and released Adrian's hand, holding her arms out to the girl. "It's so good to see you. I'm glad you could make it."

"It's good to see you as well," Kira said. "I needed to be here anyway, because I knew Saren was going to show up looking for you."

"Mind telling us who he is?" Adrian asked.

"Well," Kira said, smiling sheepishly. "He's my brother."


	39. Chapter 39

**[39]**

"Your brother?" Makoto said, looking from Kira to Saren. "You mean we have two children, not just one? Why didn't you tell us?"

"Well," Kira said, "At the time, it wasn't necessary for you to know. It might not have even been necessary now, except for what's going on with the monsters and everything."

"And who is the charming woman you have with you?" Makoto asked, looking back at Saren.

"My name is Mizore…" the snow fairy said, blushing. _So these are Saren's parents in this time… They look so happy… I feel bad we had to interrupt their wedding, though…_ "I'm sorry to cause you trouble… but we really do need help…"

"We?" Adrian asked. "You're not just talking about you and Saren."

"No, sir," Mizore said, looking down. "I'm… I'm a snow fairy… a monster… We need your help fixing the barrier between the human world and the monster world. We're trying to stop a war before it gets started."

Adrian rubbed his eyes. "Okay, first rule, don't call me 'sir'. Second, I'm not even sure what this is all about. There have been a few monster sightings, but not much to suggest that humans and monsters are going to war, at least not yet."

"Yet is the key term here," Saren said. "You know as well as I do that the military won't broadcast what movements they're making, nor will the police. It's the same as it used to be on Aselia, years ago. Everything was kept hushed up and nobody knew anything."

Adrian frowned. _Hate to admit it, but the kid has a point. I hope he's not always like this._ "Alright, alright. But what are you hoping to accomplish, anyway?"

"There have already been several lives lost in this conflict," Saren said. "Unfortunately, some of it has been necessary, in order to find out who was behind the collapse of the barrier. But the ones that weren't necessary…"

Mizore's eyes began to fill with tears. "My parents… my parents were murdered… They were burned to death when my village was destroyed… they were trying to protect me…"

Makoto walked over and laid a hand on Mizore's shoulder, trying to comfort her. Adrian crept over to where Kira was standing, and asked, "How much of this have they mentioned to you?"

"Hardly any of it," Kira said, frowning. "Then again, we didn't exactly have the best meeting. Saren got a little testy with me. Seemed to think I was spying on him."

"And are you spying on him?" Adrian asked.

"Well, no…" Kira said.

"You just don't trust the girl he's with," the swordsman said.

"She's… she's a monster, though," Kira said, frowning.

"Yes, I gathered that," Adrian said. "But you also have to remember that that sort of prejudice is probably driving the conflict between humans and monsters now, and is the same thing that drove the half-elves away on Aselia."

"I know, but…"

"I don't want to hear it, Kira," Adrian said. "I really don't even want to be involved in this right now. It's our wedding day, it was supposed to be a day that was important to your mother. It wasn't supposed to turn out like this."

"I'm sorry…"

"It's fine, just forget it," Adrian said. "Makoto and I have to get going. We're going to be off the radar for awhile."

"Alright…"

"And try to get along with your brother," he said. Sighing, he added, "Listen to me. I just got married twenty minutes ago and I'm already giving lectures to my children, who haven't even been born yet. I hate time travel."

Adrian walked back over to Makoto, and said, "Are you ready to go?"

Makoto smiled at him and nodded. "Yeah, let's get going. Mizore, I wish there was more I could do. But you'll be alright, I know you will."

"Why do you say that…?" Mizore asked.

"Well, because you've got a Tyndall protecting you," Makoto said. "You couldn't possibly be in better hands."

Saren blushed and Mizore managed to crack a smile. "Thank you, Mrs. Tyndall…" she said.

"No problem," Makoto said. Adopting a scornful look Saren knew to actually be playful, she added, "But keep in mind that next time I see you, we're going to have a longer talk about you and my son."

Mizore's eyes widened, and she stammered, "A-alright…"

Makoto gave her a smile and took Adrian's hand, the two of them heading away from the temple. Once they were out of sight, Saren sighed. "Well, that could've gone better."

"I suppose so…" Mizore said. "But I can see where they're coming from. I'd hate for anyone to interrupt our wed- my. _My_ wedding, either." She turned away, silently cursing herself for that slip of the tongue.

If Saren noticed what she'd initially said, he gave no sign of it. Instead he placed a hand on her shoulder and sighed. "It looks like we'll have to keep trying, then," he said.

"Well, Ruby did manage to get the control unit," Mizore said.

"Yeah, but I'm not sure what good that'll do right now," Saren said. "Until we get the components for the Eternal Sword, we really can't do much."

"I suppose you're right…" Mizore said, sighing. "Hey, where'd your sister go?"

Saren looked around to where Kira had been standing, but she had vanished. "There's no telling. Probably off to make trouble for us somewhere else."

"I hope not…" Mizore said, frowning. "At any rate, your parents seem nice…"

"Yeah, I guess," Saren said. "My mother seems to like you, at any rate."

Mizore smiled. _Well, there's a hopeful thought… Maybe Kira will start being nicer as well…_


	40. Chapter 40

**[40]**

When they rejoined Ruby and the others later on, Saren noticed they wore somewhat dour expressions. "What's wrong?" he asked. "What's happened?"

Ruby sighed as she regarded the half-elf. "There's been a few nasty rumors going around," she said. "It seems there are a number of monsters of various types intent on sneaking into the human world to cause trouble. For the most part, they've been able to restore their transformation magic, so they'll appear human."

"Oh, wonderful," Saren said, frowning. "All we need is a group of gung-ho monsters to start ransacking Tokyo. Then Kuyou gets his war, handed to him on a silver platter."

"It appears that way," Ruby said. "Please tell us you have better news."

Saren shook his head. "Not even close," he said. "We managed to contact my father, but he doesn't seem eager to help right now."

"In his defense, you did kind of interrupt his wedding," Mizore said. Kurumu gave her a quizzical look, but the snow fairy waved it away.

"So we're sunk," Yukari said. "The monsters are going to invade the human world, and the humans are going to overreact and start a fight."

"Please calm down," Saren said. "We still have options. Not many, but some."

"What can we possibly do?" Kurumu asked.

"Find out where these monsters are coming from, where they're getting into the human world, and try to jam them up somehow," Saren said.

"So we turn ourselves into cannon fodder," Yukari said. "There's a brilliant plan."

"What's your idea?" Saren asked, keeping scorn from his voice. "Things are moving too fast for us to keep to our original plan of repairing the barrier."

Yukari seemed taken aback at being addressed so directly by the prince. At first, she was at a loss for words. Then she shook her head. "No, you're probably right. We should start scouting to see when and where monsters try to get into the human world."

"We can't forget about fixing the barrier, though," Ruby said. "We may have to split up for awhile."

"You're kidding, right?" Kurumu asked. "How are we supposed to split up at a time like this? There are only five of us."

"Ah, no offense, Kurumu, but I think you counted wrong," a man's voice said. "Although, I think you've got more than enough boobs for two or three girls."

"Ginei, you bastard!" Kurumu shouted by reflex, turning around and launching a fist, slamming it into the man's jaw.

Saren watched as a blue-haired man took Kurumu's impact with a smirk. "C'mon, Kurumu, that can't be your first reaction when you see me. It's been such a long time, after all," the man said.

"Saren," Ruby said, "this is Ginei Morioka. He was president of the newspaper club at Youkai Academy. Gin, this is Saren Tyndall, a friend of ours we've made recently."

"Good at meet ya," Gin said, offering his hand to the prince. "The beauty standing beside me is San Otonashi."

Saren shook the man's hand, and looked past him to the small girl holding a sketchbook. She, like Gin, had blue hair, and smiled at Saren. She quickly scribbled something in the sketchbook before turning it around to show Saren. _It's a pleasure to meet you._

"Likewise," Saren said, bowing as he released Gin's hand.

"San… it's good to see you again," Mizore said. "How have you been?"

The girl scribbled in the sketchbook again, then turned it back to show them. _I've been well. I needed to take a break from the restaurant, though. I told Marin that there was something I needed to take care of._

"I see," Mizore said. "Well… I'm glad you came…"

"San doesn't talk," Gin said, noting the expression on Saren's face. "She likes to communicate through her sketchbook."

"It's actually more of a necessity," Ruby said. "San is a siren, and her voice is her very power. When she sings, she has access to any number of powers, from creating barriers to destroying enemies."

"I see," Saren said. "So what brings the two of you here?"

"Ruby sent word to the restaurant asking if San knew where I was," Gin answered. "Of course, San wanted to know what the problem was. When Ruby explained, San came and found me. We're here to help. Kuyou's no laughing matter."

Saren nodded. "We appreciate your help. The situation has gotten a little worse. I'm sure you've noticed."

"Yeah, I know there are a whole bunch of monsters just itchin' to get to the human world," Gin said. "What happened with the barrier, anyway?"

"We believe it was Lilith's Mirror," Ruby answered. "Kuyou stole it when he escaped."

"Ah hell, that thing again?" Gin asked. "I tell ya, that thing's a nasty piece of work. We need to track it down and get it back."

"That'll have to wait," Ruby said. "We have to focus on repairing the barrier and stopping monsters from getting into the human world and wreaking havoc."

Saren nodded. "Ruby's suggesting we split up and try to find a way to do two things at once."

San shook her head. _We need to try to stay together. I'm worried someone's following us, waiting to take advantage of us._

"If someone were waiting for us, they would've already gotten me and Mizore," Saren said, frowning. "We were by ourselves for quite a while."

Ruby shook her head. "The two of you went to Aselia by yourselves," she said. "I doubt they would've been able to follow you. And when you came back here, you were accompanied by other people you knew, right, Saren?"

"I guess you're right," Saren answered. "Regardless, fixing the barrier needs to be a priority. If we can do that, the monsters in the human world should be an easy sweep-up."

"Man, I just can't keep track of how many times that barrier gets breached," Gin said. "It was what, once right after we beat Kuyou the first time, right? Then later on that Floating Garden crashed into Yokohama."

"I don't know if I remember hearing about that," Saren said, frowning.

"Humans covered it up," Gin said. "Besides, we stopped it, yeah? Along with Fairy Tale. Guess we'll have to start trashin' punks again 'til they get the message."

"Then I guess the next step is to find out where we're going from here," Saren said.

_Maybe we should try our luck with a fortune teller_, San's sketchbook read.

Saren smiled at the girl. "It's probably not a bad idea," he said. "We could use a little fortune right now. Anyone know where to find a fortune teller?"

"No, but I think you'll need an undertaker first anyway," a voice said from behind them. Saren heard two female grunts behind him, and instantly put a hand on his sword, turning slightly to see the intruders. He felt a sharp jolt hit his back, seizing his muscles up. He fell to his knees mid-turn, and he saw looks of shock on the faces of the others as he dropped.

One of the assailants struck Mizore, knocking her unconscious. He wanted to scream at them to let her go, wanted to stretch a hand out to her, wanted to gather mana to cast a spell, anything! He was helpless to resist, though, as they leaned in close to him.

"I'm sorry to say we won't let you leave this place," one of the attackers said. "You're going to get in our way, and we can't have that. Goodbye." He raised a large club and Saren felt a sharp blow against his temple. Stars broke before his eyes, and just before he blacked out, he realized Mizore's kidnap might be the least of his problems…


	41. Chapter 41

**[41]**

Tsukune's eyes snapped open in shock. "Everyone… Moka, did you feel-"

"Yeah, I did," she said. "They've been attacked… but I couldn't feel who did it. They disappeared too quickly."

"What're we going to do?" Tsukune asked.

"I'm not sure," Moka replied. "There may not be anything we can do. We still don't know who attacked them. There's a strong possibility that by the time we move, it'll be too late."

"We have to do something," Tsukune said, frowning.

"I know, Tsukune," Moka answered. "I'm worried about them too. Hang on." Something had changed. Another power had shown itself, very close to where the others were attacked. "It feels familiar… Feels like… Kokoa?"

Tsunuke's jaw dropped. Kokoa, Moka's younger sister, had never particularly cared for the rest of their friends, and had often attacked Moka herself for the sole purpose of killing Moka's "outer" personality. "What's she doing there?"

"I guess helping out," Moka answered. "Kind of a disturbing thought."

"Do you think we should get involved now?" Tsukune asked.

"Well… maybe," Moka said. "If Kokoa's getting involved, then we may have to as well."

Suddenly, they felt something approach them, and heard something distorted, like a voice on the wind. "Tsukune… Moka… if you're out there, we need help. Mizore, Yukari, and Ruby have been kidnapped… please help us…" the voice said.

Tsukuna looked up at Moka. "How about now?" he asked.

Saren's mind reeled and his body jerked backward involuntarily as his nose absorbed the foul odor. His eyes snapped open about the same time as his mouth. "What in Martel's name is that smell?" he half-shouted.

"Relax, kid. Just smellin' salts," Gin answered, putting a hand on the prince's shoulder.

Saren took a couple of deep breaths of fresh air, trying to remove the offensive scent from his nostrils. "What… what the hell happened…"

"We were attacked. Snuck up on us from behind," Kurumu said. "We got lucky, though. Kokoa showed up and drove 'em off. But not before…"

"Not before what?" Saren asked, looking around. "Mizore… Where's Mizore?" The prince jumped to his feet, glaring at the others.

"Saren, she's… she's gone," Kurumu said. "Ruby and Yukari are gone too. We have no idea who took them or where they went."

"I didn't get a good look at the ones who attacked you," said a girl with orange pigtails. "They ran as soon as they saw me."

"Oh, right," Kurumu said. "Saren, this is Kokoa. Kokoa Shuzen. She's Moka's sister."

"I came here when I sensed you all might be in danger. I was actually looking for a bunch of thugs to come tearing across into the human world," Kokoa said.

"Well, we appreciate your help," Saren said. "My name is Saren Tyndall. I've been trying to help your friends restore the barrier and stop the person responsible for destroying it."

"Well, you don't look like much," Kokoa said. "You don't seem like you could be much of a match for monsters, if you got taken on by that group and knocked out so easily."

Saren's hands tightened into fists. "I'm not… that wasn't…"

"Let it go," Gin said. "We gotta find our friends, and there's only one way to do that. We gotta take San's advice and dig us up a fortune teller. Any ideas?"

"Well, I've got one," Kurumu said. "We could always go to the Snow Priestess."

"Snow priestess? The one who tried to give Mizore up to get married?" Saren asked.

"Yeah, that one. Truth is, she actually is a really good fortune teller," Kurumu said. "And I guess she was only trying to protect her kingdom."

"So which way do we go?" Saren asked.

"Well, north," Kurumu said. "It'll be several days' travel on foot, though."

"The hell with going on foot. I'm flying," the half-elf said, glaring.

"Huh? How?" Gin asked.

"I've got ways," Saren answered. "That's not important, though. We've gotta get moving. Kokoa, are you coming with us?"

Kokoa shook her head. "Nah, I'm gonna keep around here, try and take down some more monsters," she said. "Finding the Snow Priestess won't do any good if you can't keep monsters at bay. By the time you get back, there won't be a human world left to save."

"Alright," Saren said. "Then I guess it's time to get moving. Lead the way, Kurumu."

Mizore's eyes fluttered open, and she realized she was in a different place than she last remembered. She sat up, finding herself on a rather plush bed. The second thing she realized was that her refrigerant sucker was gone; it was the heat that had awakened her.

"Saren…? Are you there…? Kurumu…?" she said quietly, looking around.

"No, my dear Mizore, no one is here but me," a voice said. It has an odd accent to it, one she didn't quite recognize at first. Finally, though, it came to her.

"I know you," she said. "Show yourself, Kanade."

A light-haired man stepped from the shadows of the opulent room, showing his face to her. "I'm pleased you remember me, Mizore Shirayuki. This makes things easier for me. Since you remember who I am, you'll remember my power and know that it's quite pointless for you to escape."

"Don't give me that," Mizore said. "They'll come find me. I know they will."

"They won't," Kanade said. "Your friends were left for dead, I'm afraid. There's no one to save you."

"Stop lying!" Mizore shouted.

"I'm not lying to you," Kanade said. "Very soon, you'll understand that, and give up. Then you'll be where you belong."

"What are you…"

"The one who sent me to find you is your new betrothed," Kanade said. "Soon you will be wed to him, our illustrious leader. Hokuto Kaneshiro will become your husband"

Mizore felt a fist tighten around her heart. "No… No, I'll die first."

"Oh, don't be silly," Kanade said. "You won't be doing anything of the sort, especially by the time I'm through with you."


	42. Chapter 42

**[42]**

It was barely two hours later when the skies over the Land of Snow became filled with a trio of bizarre flying objects. The girl with bat-like wings led the descent, followed by the girl with angelic wings. Setting down last was a large, winged craft that appeared almost organic in nature, set upon by two men. The craft disappeared somewhat abruptly, and the two girls hid both their wings.

"What… What the hell was that?" Gin asked when he found his voice.

"Told you I'd be flying," Saren said. "We'd have gone faster if I knew where I was going in the first place."

"I mean… what was that thing we were on?" the blue-haired man asked.

"It's called a Rheaird," Saren answered. "It's how we travel where I'm from."

"I've never seen anything like it on Earth," Gin said.

"That's because I'm not from Earth," the half-elf answered. "Let's hurry up and find this Snow Priestess."

The four of them entered the kingdom without being approached. "Clearly, we're expected," Kurumu said. "There's no guard here."

"I'd been wondering about that, among other things," Saren said. "For example, why are there two Lands of Snow? I thought Mizore's parents lived in the only yuki-onna village."

Kurumu shook her head. "A long time ago, they did. But about two years ago, the Snow Priestess arranged for Mizore to marry Alucard, in order to save this kingdom from being destroyed. Part of that was because of custom; girls reaching the age of seventeen are betrothed to men to continue the yuki-onna population."

"Arranged marriages," Saren said, his voice carrying a hint of disdain.

"Exactly," Kurumu said. "Well, Mizore was madly in love with Tsukune at the time, and didn't want anyone else. She was literally scared of marrying anyone but him. She rebelled as much as she could, and eventually her mother came to see her point of view. After we dealt with the Alucard situation-"

"After he assaulted her…" the half-elf growled.

"Yes… after that happened, Mizore's parents decided to leave the kingdom, and start their own village, without the hitch of arranged marriages. There was a surprising number of other yuki-onna who shared Mizore's point of view, and so they joined them," Kurumu said. "This kingdom is the original Land of Snow, where the Snow Priestess lives and rules."

"That still doesn't explain the lack of guards," Saren said. "Even Mizore's parents had us stopped from entering until Mizore identified herself."

"That's… a good question. I don't know what the deal with that is," Kurumu said. "The only thing we can do is go into the palace and confront the Snow Priestess directly."

"Then let's get going," Saren said.

They approached the large ice-sculpted palace, and Saren marveled slightly at its size and complexity. _This place easily compares with the palace in Meltokio, _he thought. It was only at this point that they were approached by sentries.

"Stop. Identify yourselves," one of the snow fairies said.

Kurumu stepped forward to answer. "I am Kurumu Kurono. With me are Ginei Morioka, San Otonashi, and Saren Tyndall. We are friends of Mizore Shirayuki," she said.

The sentry nodded. "Yes, I remember you now. The Priestess was expecting Mizore's friends. Please, come with me." She turned and motioned for them to follow her, as she led them through a set of large doors that had had intricate patterns etched into them.

The group emerged into a grand chamber. Saren had never seen anything quite like it. Large staircases rolled up either side of the central floor, leading to distant balconies. The floor itself seemed to blend smoothly from ice to a checkered marble. A large, ornate carpet lay on the floor against the wall of the chamber, with a single throne in the center of it.

A woman dressed in an elaborate white gown sat in the throne, staring at them intently with icy blue eyes. Her white hair was spiked so severely it appeared to be a gathering of icicles at first glance. She smiled at them warmly, though, and they continued their approach. "Greetings, travelers. I have been waiting for you all," she said. "I wish the tidings were better, and I wish Mizore could be with you now."

"It is Mizore we wish to discuss, your ladyship," Saren said, advancing to the front of the group and taking a knee before the Snow Priestess. "She and two of our friends have been taken by enemy agents. We do not know who they are or where they've gone."

"I have seen this, Saren Tyndall of Aselia," the Snow Priestess replied. If Saren was surprised at her clairvoyance, he gave no sign. "Mizore and the two witches are still safe for the time being, but this will change rather quickly. They have been taken by the remaining elements of Fairy Tale."

"Please," Saren said, "I have to know more about this group. Who they are, where they are."

"Fairy Tale was an organization dedicated to the destruction of humankind. They were organized and led by the Second Division, which consisted entirely of the Shuzen family," the priestess said. Saren's eyes widened with recognition, but the priestess pressed on. "There were several divisions, each led by a powerful monster. I believe you've already encountered Kuyou once before. He was one of the division leaders, along with Kanade Kamiya, a siren, Hokuto Kaneshiro, and Alucard, though at the time we knew him as Miyabi Fujisaki.

"Miyabi came to this village a few years ago, threatening to destroy it unless I turned over the strongest snow fairy to him. I had no choice to but acquiesce. I summoned Mizore here, since she was to undergo her coming-of-age ceremony anyway. I kidnapped her and handed her over to Miyabi, but Mizore's friends uncovered the plot and rescued her, forcing Fairy Tale to abandon the village.

"The organization was in shambles after a few more months, but it appears now that elements from the organization are gravitating toward each other again. It was Hokuto that aided in Kuyou's escape from prison. They are the ones who have Mizore. If you wish to find them, seek them out in the skies. Their base is heavily defended, but not impregnable."

_So this Floating Garden that Gin mentioned is operational again. _Saren nodded. "I understand. Thank you," he said. "I do have one more question to ask: Why did Mizore never mention any of this? She never said a word about this place's existence."

"After Fairy Tale departed, Tsurara confronted me about luring her daughter in to use as bait. She disagreed with the decision, and had long argued with me about the law enforcing arranged marriages at the age of seventeen. She and her husband decided to leave our village, and several other yuki-onna decided to join them in founding their own village.

"I was… I was quite heartbroken to learn of Tsurara's and her husband's deaths, and the destruction of the village they worked so hard to build," the Snow Priestess said, frowning. "To be honest, I never met someone so intent on changing the future that they would oppose me directly, but I suppose her desire was sparked by Mizore's rebellion. For that, I admire them both. I wish you luck in rescuing Mizore, but also advise caution. Neither Hokuto nor Kanade are to be underestimated."

"I will exercise caution," Saren said. "I thank you for your time and assistance."

"One further thing before you go," the snow priestess said. "I know of your… difficulty. Your situation is a unique one. But you must not give up hope. Your futures will shine brightly, as two stars seeming to be one in the night sky. Your paths will be intertwined, so long as hope survives."

Saren nodded once more, bowing to the snow priestess before he and the others walked from her chamber, determination spurring him onward. He would find the hiding place of their enemy, he would fly out to meet them, and he would rescue the woman he loved.

There were no other options.


	43. Chapter 43

**[43]**

Saren stood with his arms crossed, surveying the snow village. Below him, he saw snow fairies milling about, carrying on with their daily lives as if nothing was wrong. _It's almost as though they feel their very location makes them insulated from the coming war_, he thought. _I wonder what it's like to feel that secure._

The prince noticed the approach of footsteps, but did not turn to see who had approached him. After a few moments, he felt a gentle tug on his sleeve, and cast a sidelong glance at the blue-haired girl, San. "Oh, Ms. Otonashi. What can I do for you?" he asked.

She scribbled in her sketchbook for a moment, then turned it around to show him. _I was wondering if there was something I could do for you. Kurumu mentioned you might be upset. Are you and Mizore-chan close?_

Saren frowned. "Thanks, San. I appreciate it. And you wouldn't think so. I mean, I've only known her for a few months, but… I dunno, I guess it just feels different. It feels like I've known her for a lot longer. I'm more comfortable around her than I am anyone else."

San smiled, scribbling in the sketchbook again. _I understand that feeling well. When I met Gin, he was wild, uncontrollable. He fought all the time. I was the only person he would listen to. By that same respect, he was the only one who would listen to me when I talked. So in a way, it feels like he and I have a special bond too._

Saren nodded. "I've never been able to put my finger on what it was about Mizore. She's the only one who hasn't made me feel out of place, though. It's strange… I swore to her parents I'd protect her with my life. I didn't even think about it. But they took her…"

"You shouldn't beat yourself up over it," Gin's voice said as he approached the two of them. "It's not your fault, y'know."

"But I should've sensed them. I should've known they were coming," Saren said. "I feel useless."

"Hey," Gin said, "I heard about everything you've done lately. You're not useless at all. You've done a lot, and for people you barely know. Sometimes shit happens, y'know? And besides, don't get too down on yourself. We all know how it feels to have someone important to us taken by Fairy Tale. San here was almost taken away by them too, because she's a siren."

San nodded, scribbling in her sketchbook again. _Fairy Tale use the worst trickery to get what they want. They threatened to kill someone important to me unless I went with them. Mizore and the others helped save me, and Marin as well. I owe them a great debt._

Saren frowned. "We have to get her back," he said. "I made a promise to her parents."

"Oh, you've met her parents, huh?" Gin said, smirking. "Sounds like you two are a cert, then. I know how her mom is about boys she brings home."

San shook her head. _Don't let him bother you. He's always picking on people like that. That's how he lets you know he considers you a friend._

Gin smiled and continued. "I'm telling the truth, though. If they asked you to protect her, they've gotta have a lot of faith in you. We can't throw that away."

"You're right," Saren said. "Until this is over, though… once we get her back…"

"Uh-uh," Gin said. "You're not gonna finish that sentence the way I think you're gonna finish it. When we get Mizore back, she's staying with us. You're not making her hole up somewhere and hide til this is all over.

"But, I-"

"No buts," Gin said. "Look, I know you and Mizore have got something special. I dunno what it is, but it's there. You leave her here or wherever, and that bond might not be the same afterward. Don't go throwing that away, hear me?"

San nodded solemnly. _Your feelings for Mizore, and hers for you, were clear from the moment I met you. If you leave her behind, she'll be devastated. And you and I both know you'll be distracted if you don't know where she is or how she is. When we find her, she needs to stay with us. It's where she belongs._

Saren closed his eyes, rubbing them with his ungloved hand. "You're right," he said. "Both of you are. I still feel terrible about their abduction. Not just Mizore, but Ruby and Yukari as well."

"Well, then, let's stop talkin' about it and go get 'em, already!" Gin said. He and San turned to go back to the palace, but Saren grabbed the man's arm.

"Wait," Saren said. "I need to know whatever you can tell me about our enemies. We need to have a plan before we go in."

San scribbled in her sketchbook furiously, and showed him the result. _One of the leaders, Kanade Kamiya, is a siren like me. He's powerful, and he can brainwash people or even kill them using just the power of his voice._

"Hokuto Kaneshiro is the unknown element," Gin said. "I've rarely seen him fight, but I've seen enough to know he's a hybrid youkai. They're a specialized sort of monster. They're… not natural. At least, not as nearly as I can tell. You might've heard of some of them. Centaurs, mermaids, griffins…"

"Somewhat, yes," Saren said.

"Well, there are other kinds, that are bred from two types of monsters. Usually, they're outcasts because of all their different powers," Gin said. "Don't get me wrong, this fight's gonna be dangerous. We're gonna be in for a rough ride."

"Doesn't matter," Saren said. "We have to get the others back. And then we have to stop Kuyou's war before it starts."

"Then let's get a move on," Gin said.

"Right. But first," Saren said, reaching into his pocket, fishing out a small vial full of clear liquid. "Take this. If anything happens to me, make sure I get this."

"Alright," Gin said, taking the vial from him. The three went back to the palace where Kurumu was waiting, before setting off to find the enemy's base.

Mizore sat on the edge of her bed, her stare blank as she looked at the wall. "She seems… so bored," an accented voice said.

"That's an effect of the serum, unfortunately," a more distinctive, regal voice answered. "She won't respond until one of us gives her an order."

"I see," the first voice said. "Are there any side effects? Anything we need to do to keep the effects going?"

"No, Kiria. We shouldn't need anything aside from either the normal serum, or in an emergency, my own power," the second voice answered.

"Not bad, Kanade. Not bad at all," Kiria said. "Well then, Mizore. Why don't you take that sucker out of your mouth? You look so childish with it."

The snow fairy's right arm moved up fluidly, pulling the sucker from her mouth, before it dropped back onto the bed.

"Good. Now, just wait here for us," Kiria said, smiling. "I'll be back for you soon, my dear."

The two of them turned and walked out of the room, leaving Mizore sitting by herself, the sucker dangling from the fingertips of her lifeless right arm. Her eyes still stared blankly at the wall, and small tears began forming in them, before slowly falling down her pale cheek and onto her lap.


	44. Chapter 44

**[44]**

Even from the air, Saren noticed, it was difficult to locate the enemy's base. There was no unusual power source to be found, either by him or the Rheaird. It was almost as though they were on a wild goose chase. _Dammit_, Saren thought. _Where is this thing?_

He spotted something in the distance, and steered the winged craft toward it. They drew closer, and its shape began to resolve itself. It appeared to be a large island flying on a sea of clouds. Several buildings stood atop the island, a few of them destroyed.

"That's the place," Gin said. "Fairy Tale's old fortress. Wonder how they got it running again."

"Hey, Gin!" Kurumu called out, flying up beside them. "Weren't there guns trying to shoot us down last time?"

"Look at the buildings. They're still smashed from last time," Gin replied. "I doubt the guns work, if they even still exist."

They reached the edge of the island and set down. Gin handed San her sketchbook as Saren put the Rheaird back into the wingpack. "You two alright to keep going?" he asked.

San nodded, and Kurumu said, "Yep. Let's go find our friends."

The four of them began exploring the buildings one by one. The entire fortress appeared deserted, save for the four of them. Despite his best efforts, Saren could not sense anyone else aside from his three comrades. "Are we sure we're in the right place?" he asked.

"This is where the Snow Priestess said they'd be," Kurumu answered. "Her predictions are supposed to be accurate. At least, they have been in the past."

Saren frowned, but continued searching the buildings and rubble for any sign of activity. As time wore on and the sun began to set, the prince's search became more frantic, more hurried. _Dammit… where are you?_

"Hey, Saren!" Gin shouted. "Over this way. There's a staircase leading down below."

The prince hurried to where Gin had indicated, and looked down into the darkened stairwell. "Looks intact, but it's also probably a trap," Gin said.

"Oh, of that, I have no doubt," Saren said. He pressed the hidden switch on his glove, and his holographic device materialized around his arm, scanning the stairwell. "I'm detecting faint life signs," he said. "Come on." He led the way down the stairs, the light from his device providing dim illumination.

When they reached the bottom of the staircase, they found a few torches had been lit. They began walking down a corridor, trying to follow the life signs as much as they could. They gradually began to strengthen, and the shape of the corridor began to change. The walls and floor seemed to be hewn from stone, and the doors were iron.

"It's almost like some kind of prison," Saren said. "Plenty of the cells have been damaged, though. Something tore this place apart. Hang on… There's someone in here. Two people."

He stopped in front of a cell and peered inside. Two figures sat, concealed in the shadows. "Any ideas…?"

"That's Ruby and Yukari," Gin said.

"How do you…"

"I can see a lot better at night," Gin answered. "My sense of smell's a lot better than yours, too. I know it's them. Help me get this open."

Saren went to work on undoing the lock, and finally the cell door opened. Gin entered first, Saren and the others following close behind. Saren examined Ruby first, then Yukari. "They appear healthy, but there's something wrong. They're not responding to anything."

"Let me take a look," Kurumu said. She took Saren's place, placing a hand on each of the witches', and closed her eyes. "There's… there's something wrong here. They've been cut off from their own bodies somehow. Like some sort of mind control."

"Not good," Gin said. "Can you tell what kind? Is it some kind of power, or is it serum?"

"Looks like just power," Saren said. "I'm not reading any unusual chemicals in their blood."

"Leave them to me," Kurumu said. "If it is a power doing this, it shouldn't take me long to get past it. You guys go on ahead, see if you can find Mizore."

"We shouldn't split up right now," Saren said.

"I said go, Saren," Kurumu said. "You have someone waiting for you. Go and save her."

Saren gave the succubus a hard stare, and moved away reluctantly. "Fine. You better be right behind us," he said. Gin and San led the way out of the cell, and the three of them continued down the corridor.

It began to track upward, until they came to another flight of stairs, this time going upward. "I wonder where we are now," Gin said.

Saren ran through a couple of screens on his tool, and said, "This should be the central building on the island. I'm also picking up life signs here. Several of them. Proceed with caution."

The three of them crept up the staircase, and emerged in a bright, circular chamber. "What's this place supposed to be?" Saren asked. "Some kind of reception hall? Meeting hall?"

"Initially, yeah," Gin said. "This was where the members of Fairy Tale would meet before setting off on missions."

"I see," Saren said. "It's… well, pretty large. Must've been able to fit a lot of people in here."

"Yes, but it's wonderfully empty now, isn't it?" said a voice from the far end of the hall. The voice was accented; Saren could almost place it as Slavic in nature. "It's still quite a grand chamber, though. It seems almost a waste. Pardon me, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Kiria Yoshii."

Saren's eyes narrowed, and his hands instinctively reached for his weapons. Kiria made a soft clicking sound with his tongue. "Tut tut. Now that won't do at all. Here you are, invading my home, and I've decided to be gracious and greet you freely. What kind of thanks is that?"

"I don't know what your game is," Saren said. "But I've heard far too much about you to believe your grace is genuine. You're holding three of our friends captive. I want them released immediately."

"I'm sorry," Kiria said, smiling. "You must be mistaken. I'm holding no hostages. Everyone who is here has come of their own free will."

"Wrong," Saren said. "Ruby Toujo. Yukari Sendou. Mizore Shirayuki. They were attacked and kidnapped. I want them here, now."

"Saren," Gin whispered. "If they go and get Ruby and Yukari, Kurumu will…"

"I know," Saren whispered back. "I'm waiting to see if he brings Mizore first, since she wasn't with the others."

Kiria regarded him with another smile, but this one was decidedly colder. "I see. You know more than I was initially led to believe. This is rather troublesome for me. But of course, I cannot release people who are not held against their will. You see, Mizore desired to be at my side. Isn't that right, dear?"

He stepped aside, revealing a smaller figure. Her clothes were untattered, and appeared freshly laundered. Her body appeared unharmed, but her eyes… her eyes seemed cold and distant, almost as if she didn't want to see them. "You see," Kiria said. "Mizore is quite content right here with me, where she's belonged the entire time. Us monsters have to stick together, after all."

"Yes… Kiria…" she said, her voice subdued.

"Now, leave us in peace, or I'll be forced to take drastic steps," Kiria said, narrowing his eyes at them.


	45. Chapter 45

**[45]**

"What the hell'd you do to her?" Gin asked.

"I have done nothing," Kiria said. "Mizore came here to us."

"You're full of it, pal," Gin snapped. "We've had about enough of your crap."

Saren drew his weapons and charged toward Kiria, but was immediately hit by a burst of energy. The attack roared in his ears, causing him to drop to his knees in pain. He looked up and saw a man with angelic wings fluttering down toward him. _What the… Cruxis? Here? How is that possible…?_

"Now, now. We can't have that," the newcomer said, touching down between Saren and Kiria. "I cannot allow you to harm my friend Kiria like that."

Saren faintly heard San gasp behind him; his ears were still ringing from the angelic man's attack.

"Oh? And San Otonashi, my fellow siren. Come out of the pathetic hole in the human world to fight us, eh?" the man said.

"You're one to talk about hiding in holes, Kanade Kamiya. Just where did they dig your worthless hide up from?" Gin asked.

"Don't be petulant, idiot dog," Kanade said. "You stand before one of the greatest beings in the world. You should have killed me while you had the chance, San. I'm going to finish the job I started. Every human will die, starting with your friend there."

"No, they will not," Saren heard a soft voice say. He looked over at San. Her sketchbook was closed, her eyes focused. In a rather musical tone of voice, she added, "We'll defeat you again, as we did before. We won't let you hold our friends captive any longer."

"Kanade, wait until Mizore and I leave. Then destroy them," Kiria said. "Come along, Mizore, dear. Hokuto is waiting for you."

Kiria turned and walked out of the chamber. Mizore walked out after him, and Saren's heart sank into his stomach. "Don't let it get to you," Gin said. "She's being controlled, I guarantee it. I'll bet my tail this Kanade jackass has something to do with it."

Saren expected Kanade to start boasting, or mock his situation. He would've even bet on childish catcalling. Unfortunately, Kanade decided to strike first, hitting the half-elf with another sound attack. Saren was unprepared, and was knocked back a few yards before he stopped and regained his footing. The magnitude had been enough to push Gin back as well.

Kanade continued his attack, unleashing wave after wave of sonic bursts on Gin and Saren. Saren, for his part, tried to blocked the attacks with the Guardian technique, but it proved fruitless. The siren laughed mercilessly. "You truly believe that can stop me?" he asked. "Enough games. I'll kill all of you right here."

"Enough of this," San said. "I won't let you hurt them anymore. Your fight is with me now."

"You can't beat me, San," Kanade said. "I've spent the last two years training, pushing my limits. You've been at peace. You've had no reason to use your power."

"If you want to believe that, that's your choice," San replied. "Gin, Saren, I have to apologize now. Our battle will do considerable damage to both of you as well."

"Don't worry about us," Gin said. "Just take care of this guy so we can find Mizore."

Saren sensed Kanade using another attack and braced himself. Despite his best efforts, though, he was unprepared for the sheer force of Kanade's voice. It made his ears feel as though they were throbbing. Matters were made worse by San singing, using her ability to counter Kanade's. He resisted the urge to drop to the floor and cover his head.

The two sirens continued their vocal duel, and Saren could see that Gin was forced to endure a particularly difficult level of pain. The half-elf began to notice a different problem, though. His vision was beginning to blur, and darkness was creeping into his periphery.

"You can't save your friends," Kanade said. "Even now, they're beginning to fade. They don't have much time left."

Saren looked over at Gin, and saw the blue-haired man on his knees, clutching at his head. _I have to try to distract Kanade… Only got one chance…_ He felt something running down his cheek and reached up with his ungloved hand. It came away with a bit of blood on it. _These vocal attacks are destroying our auditory nerves… causing hemorrhaging… Don't have a whole lot of time left…_

He tried pulling mana in toward him, but had to look up when he heard an ominous rumbling. The ceiling was beginning to crack, the force of the two sirens' voices clashing and making the structure break apart. He moved back a bit, and the ceiling started to cave in.

"Gin!" San said, getting the other man's attention. He looked up at the hole in the ceiling and smirked. Saren glanced up and barely saw what made him start smiling. The full moon was shining through the hole. Saren watched as Gin's muscles began to expand, his blue hair growing longer and covering his entire body. His face elongated into a snout.

_So that's his true form… a werewolf. This might be helpful… But now it's my turn… San's voice is beginning to weaken already._ The half-elf continued gathering mana, and after several long moments, he finally had enough.

"I hope this helps you, San. I call upon the Disciple of Everlasting Ice. I summon thee; come, Celsius!" he cried. In a burst of light, the Summon Spirit appeared, and the temperature immediately dropped. Celsius leaped toward Kanade, launching a flurry of ice-infused punches and kicks. The siren became distracted, the attacks hitting home.

Kanade's vocal attacks stopped as Celsius continued her onslaught, and Saren shook his head to try to clear it. "Alright, back in action," he muttered. He charged the siren, leaping into the air to spin-kick his opponent, shouting, "Swallow Dance!" Celsius vanished as his attack landed. As Saren landed on the ground, he barely noticed Kanade's body being tackled by a large form.

Gin bowled the siren over, his claws tearing into his foe's skin. "You shoulda known better than to take us on, dumbass," the werewolf said, his voice a harsh bark.

Kanade tried to get back to his feet, and opened his mouth to attack again, but Gin was ready this time. He opened his mouth wide, closing it around Kanade's throat. The siren began to gasp for air as Gin crushed his throat, blocking his power. The werewolf let go, and Kanade clutched at his throat, trying to draw breath through a channel no longer capable of conveying it. The suffocating siren dropped to his knees.

Saren walked over to him, planting a foot in his chest and pushing him over onto his back. He looked down into the siren's fearful eyes, and said, "I suppose right about now, you'd want to say your famous last words, but that still won't save you."

"What… what do you mean…" Kanade gasped out.

Saren smirked, filling the expression with as much malice as he could. "In simple language, it boils down to this. You probably thought you weren't going to die today. Surprise." He raised the axe in his left hand, driving it down into Kanade's throat, severing it completely.

The half-elf sighed heavily, pulling the axe up and wiping it off as best as he was able. Gin returned to his human form, panting heavily. "I guess we got lucky then, didn't we?" he said. "Saren, what the hell was that, anyway? That chick that popped up outta nowhere was a babe."

Saren shook his head. "It's… a Summon Spirit. The embodiment of one of the forces of nature from my home. It's not important now, though. We have to find Mizore and Kiria."

"We can probably help out with that now," Kurumu's voice said from behind them.

"Kurumu… you got Ruby and Yukari out of the prison?" San asked.

The succubus nodded. "I'm sorry it took so long. Whatever mind control method these guys used, it was nasty. I had to do a lot of sifting through to find out what was real and what wasn't. I hope things aren't as bad when we find Mizore…"

"Saren… I'm sorry we weren't able to help you," Ruby said. "I can't even remember anything after we met up with Gin in the monster realm."

"Neither can I," Yukari said. "Kurumu explained to us what happened, though. Saren, I think Mizore's in real danger here."

"Let's get going," Saren said, frowning. "We don't have any time to waste."


	46. Chapter 46

**[46]**

"Gin, Saren, are you two sure you're alright?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, I'm good. Nothin' I can't deal with," Gin answered.

"I'll be fine as soon as we find Mizore," Saren answered.

"Are you sure, Saren? It looks like Kanade did a number on you. You've been bleeding a lot, and your eyes are still red," Yukari said.

San scribbled in her sketchpad, showing it to Saren. _I'm sorry I caused you so much pain_, she said. _I tried to deflect as much of Kanade's attacks as I could… I'll try to do better against __Kiria__._

Saren shook his head. "It's fine. I really should be thanking you. You kept Kanade occupied long enough to I could summon. Also, your song helped cause the ceiling collapse. In all honesty, though, you should probably sit this out. I can sense how tired you are from fighting Kanade."

San frowned at the suggestion and began to object, but Gin put a hand on hers to stop her from writing. "Don't push yourself so hard," Gin said. "I can tell how tired you are, too."

"Where the hell did they go?" Saren wondered aloud. "There aren't many places left we haven't checked."

"Dunno, but they're still here," Gin said. "I can smell them. Hokuto too."

They continued searching the remaining buildings, but still couldn't find Mizore or Kiria. Finally, when they'd reached the far side of the island from where they'd set down, Saren began to notice a drop in temperature. "They're here," he said. "Be on your guard."

"So, you're still alive, if only just barely," Kiria said. Saren traced his voice and found him standing atop one of the defunct turrets. "It seems as though Kanade has failed us."

"Seems that way," Saren said. "Let Mizore go."

Kiria smiled at him, stepping aside to reveal the snow fairy. "You really are stubborn, aren't you? How many times must I explain to you that she is with us of her own accord?"

"You can tell the same lie a thousand times, and it's still a lie," Kurumu said. "You think we don't know her better than that?"

Kiria snapped his fingers, and Mizore dropped to the ground in front of them. She walked slowly, purposefully forward. "If you think differently, then by all means," the monster said. "Try to take her away from here. See what happens."

Mizore stopped about ten yards away. Kurumu moved forward to her, and said, "Come on, Mizore. Let's get you out of here. This isn't where you want to be, right?"

She tried to put her hand on Mizore's, but the snow fairy slapped it away forcefully. Kiria started to laugh, and Yukari worked her way to Mizore and Kurumu. "Come on," she said. "We're your friends, Mizore. Don't you want to be with us anymore?"

Kiria disappeared, reappearing at Mizore's side. "Did you hear that? They called themselves your friends. But they abandoned you after you left school. That's not the way friends behave, is it?"

"Shut up," Saren snapped. Kiria's smile turned into a deadly scowl, which the half-elf ignored. "In all the time I've known Mizore, I've never once abandoned her. Neither have her friends. People go their separate ways all the time, especially after something like high school. It's part of becoming an adult. It's the only way for someone to come into their own."

The other man frowned. "Do you always make such ridiculous speeches?" he asked. "Maybe it's just better for you all to die now."

"Oh, no," Saren said. "Some of my speeches are a lot more ridiculous. And then you should hear some of my father's speeches. But… I'm afraid I can't let you leave here alive."

"Then why don't you just try to stop me?" Kiria asked, smirking.

Saren drew his weapons in a flash, and swept toward the man. Mizore swung around to block Saren's approach, and the half-elf stopped in his tracks. "What're you…?"

"She won't allow any harm to come to me," Kiria said. "Such a faithful woman is hard to find. Shame Hokuto gets this one."

Gin transformed in an instant and sped toward the chimera, while Kurumu took flight and approached him from a third direction. Before their attacks could land, Mizore raised a dome of solid ice around the two of them. Gin's strike cracked the dome, while Kurumu's shattered it.

"Stop, everyone," Saren said, lowering his arms. "Mizore's being made to play defensively. This coward doesn't want to attack us on his own, so he's using her as a shield."

"Who are you calling a coward? Trying to attack me three on one?" Kiria said.

"I was going to kill you myself," Saren said. "You decided to play chicken and hide behind Mizore. Which, by the way, is an even better way to tick me off."

"You want to get to me, fine. But Mizore seems to think you have to go through her first," Kiria answered.

Saren frowned. "Fine then," he said. He put his weapons away, ignoring the gasps from Kurumu and Ruby. He took a step toward Mizore, but the girl didn't move. He continued walking slowly toward her, his arms outstretched to show he wasn't carrying a weapon.

Mizore watched the entire scene in a surreal, detached fashion. _No, Saren… Leave me… __Kiria__'s got complete control… Please, just run…_ She wanted to scream these words at him, but her own voice wouldn't obey her.

The half-elf closed to within inches of her, and Kiria said, "Kill him, Mizore."

_No! I won't do it! I won't kill him!_ A single tear formed in Mizore's eye and fell down her cheek. Saren walked another step closer, and the snow fairy's hands became claws of ice.

Saren looked into Mizore's eyes, searching for any sign of recognition. He saw another tear begin to form.

"Do it, Mizore," Kiria hissed.

_Leave me alone! Just run, Saren, please!_

Saren reached out and wrapped his arms around Mizore, hugging her close to him. "It's alright," he whispered. "Do what you have to do."

He felt a sharp sting that turned into searing pain. The claws of Mizore's left hand had pierced through his clothing, armor, and skin, to appear on the far side of his spine, drenched in his blood. There were screams from behind him, but he didn't care. He pulled his head back to look into Mizore's eyes once more, before his world faded to black.

Mizore saw a trickle of blood run from Saren's mouth, and immediately was brought back into herself. She looked down at her left hand, gasping in horror, and retracted the ice claws. As Saren began to fall, she wrapped her arms around him and tried to lower his heavy, lifeless body to the ground slowly, gently. "Saren…" she said, surprised to hear the name in her own voice instead of in her head. "Saren, I'm sorry…"

"She's done it… She broke the mind control!" Ruby said, watching the scene unfold.

Gin reacted first. He pulled a small vial from his jacket pocket and threw it toward Mizore, shouting, "Here, Mizore!"

"No, you won't!" Kiria shouted, leaping from behind the snow fairy. He slashed the vial in midair; it split and fell to the ground, the liquid within useless. "The wretch may have broken the mind control serum, but your human friend is dead. There's nothing to save him now."

Kurumu's eyes widened in horror, and something in her chest snapped. She glared at Kiria and shouted, "You bastard! I'm gonna make you pay!" Her wings erupted and she was off like a bolt of lightning, flying toward the monster with reckless abandon. Gin followed her charge, unleashing a bone-chilling howl of rage.

Mizore set Saren's head down on her lap, crying in earnest now as she looked at her hands, her clothes, all stained with his blood. She grasped his ungloved hand with hers, pouring her power into that connection, and murmured, "Please… Please don't leave me, Saren. Please, stay with me. I can't live without you... Please…"


	47. Chapter 47

**[47]**

The floating island looked much like it had in the past, but most of the structural damage had been repaired, it appeared. Before, the island had been reduced to rubble, having smashed into Yokohama prefecture in Japan, but someone had clearly been working overtime to make it fly again.

The black-haired man nodded to himself once as he stepped forward, surveying the place he'd tried to destroy so long ago. _And now, once again, I'm here to aid my friends. Fairy Tale has caused too much suffering, even now. They have to be stopped._

He kept walking, looking for signs of where they might have gone. The place was still abandoned; there was no sign of anyone around. He found a staircase that he remembered led down to the prison area, and followed it down. He was surprised to find the torches had been lit. _Someone's been here recently._

One of the cell doors had been left open, and he studied it for a moment. He walked inside the cell and looked around, but found no evidence of who had once occupied it. Disappointed, he exited, continuing up the path he'd chosen.

He emerged into the central meeting hall, and saw that the ceiling had collapsed. At first, he'd put it down to the same type of structural damage that had befallen the rest of the island, but he spotted something on the ground he didn't expect. Small drops of red littered the floor. _Blood, huh? So someone has been here recently as well._

He continued through the chamber, and found a larger spatter of blood toward the exit. A corpse lay on the ground, dark blue hair matted with blood. He looked down into the face, and his eyes widened with recognition. _Kanade Kamiya… He ended up fighting them and was killed… Pretty brutally, really._

He shook his head and proceeded up the stairs past the siren's corpse. There were still little droplets of blood marking the path they'd taken. _Someone's in dire straits if they've lost this much blood_, he thought. _I'm hoping I won't have to use this, but it looks as though I might._

He finally found them, in a standoff with two people. One of them, he easily recognized as Mizore Shirayuki, the snow fairy who'd been his stalker throughout his years at Youkai Academy. The other he didn't immediately recognize, but he wondered why Mizore would side with him against her friends. When he overheard the conversation, it became clear to him. The man was Kiria Yoshii, former Division Leader of Fairy Tale and Hokuto Kaneshiro's advisor. _So it appears they were trying to lay a trap. Possibly for me. Gin and the others just happened to walk into it._

He saw his friends try to reason with her, but to no avail. Finally, he saw a brown-haired man put his weapons away and walk slowly toward her. _His energy… it's enormous, almost as great as mine or Moka__'__s, but he's working to suppress it as he approaches. What's he planning?_ He watched the man put his arms around Mizore, and a moment later, she attacked him, her ice claws impaling him completely. He heard her anguished cry clearly, even though it was probably barely more than a whisper, and saw Gin throw something toward her. He watched as Kiria destroyed it, heard Kurumu's vow to destroy him.

_I see… so that man is their friend now as well… and he must mean something to Mizore. I have to help him._ As his friends began to attack Kiria, he made his way closer to Mizore and their fallen comrade.

As Gin and Kurumu began fighting Kiria in earnest, Ruby and Yukari approached their friend. "Mizore, are you alright? Are you still with us?" Ruby asked.

The purple-haired girl shuddered, her body wracked with sobs. "He won't come back… He won't come back to me… What have I done…?" she said.

"Come on, Mizore, this isn't your fault," Yukari said. "But we have to get out of here. We're in danger."

"I'm not leaving him," Mizore said. "You go on… Take San with you… I won't leave Saren…"

She felt a hand on her shoulder and nearly jumped. When she turned, she saw a man scarcely older than she was. His tousled black hair was shot through with silver, his eyes red. "Tsu… Tsukune…" she murmured.

"Mizore…" Tsukune said. "How are you?"

"Tsukune… he's… It's Saren, he…"

"There's not a lot of time to explain right now, Tsukune," Ruby said. "Mizore was brainwashed by Kiria and Kanade. Saren tried to break the hold, but Mizore was forced to kill him."

"Let me see," Tsukune said, kneeling beside Mizore. He began examining the wound Mizore had inflicted.

"I'm sorry…" Mizore said. "Saren… I'm sorry… I tried to stop myself, but I…"

Tsukune shook his head. "It's not your fault, Mizore. You weren't in control of your body at the time. What's wrong with him…?"

"What do you mean?" Yukari asked.

"His body… it's freezing," Tsukune said.

"I…" Mizore muttered. "I tried… I just can't let him go… Maybe there's a way to save him…"

"Well, yes, there is. But not like this," Tsukune said. "But listen, it's dangerous here. Kurumu and Gin are holding Kiria off, but it can't last forever."

"Kiria…" Mizore said, her voice dropping dangerously. Her sorrow at Saren's death began to turn to anger. "I'm going to kill him… Everything he's done to me… Him and Hokuto both..."

"Mizore, wait!" Ruby said. The snow fairy stood, her hands once again turning into claws of ice. She leaped toward Kiria, engaging the monster along with her friends.

"She'll be fine," Tsukune said, returning his focus to the fallen man before him. "And so will Saren."

"What do you mean?" Yukari asked. "He's dead… we saw it happen."

Tsukune shook his head. "His body is amazingly resilient. He's not too far gone, but there's not a lot of time left." He pulled a vial from his pocket. "I can give him this, and he should be fine."

"Is that… blood?" Ruby asked.

Tsukune nodded. "It's Moka's… She told me not to use more than two drops of her blood. She doesn't want to risk creating another ghoul," he said.

"Tell us what you need," Ruby said.

"Nothing at the moment. Once I give him the blood, he should wake up," Tsukune said. "But I don't know how he'll react to it. If he starts doing anything abnormal…"

"We'll be ready. We've trained against him before," Yukari said.

"Alright," Tsukune said. He opened the vial, and carefully released two drops of the vampire blood into the wound on Saren's chest. "That's it…"

The wound began to close slowly, but beyond that there was no other activity. "What's… What's wrong?" Ruby asked. "It should be working."

"I don't know. The first time Moka gave me her blood, it took a while to work on me as well," Tsukune said.

"Well, Mizore also started freezing his body," Yukari said. "Not that I know what she wanted to accomplish with that. I know snow fairies occasionally freeze people to keep as trophies, but…"

"Well, if she started freezing his body," Ruby said, "then it's possible it'll take longer for Moka's blood to work on him. His own blood would've started to become thicker. Besides, look at the wound. It completely pierced his body. There's doubtless a lot of organ and nerve damage."

"That makes sense," Tsukune said. "All we can do now is wait and hope her blood takes effect and saves him."


	48. Chapter 48

**[48]**

Gin managed to get a hand around Kiria's bladed arm, ignoring the pain such a maneuver produced in his palm, and forced the arm away from Kurumu. "I can't have ya roughin' up on girls like that," he said. "Just sit back and take the beating you deserve."

"Insolent fool," Kiria said. "Do you really believe you're capable of defeating a superior breed of hybrid monster?" He forced back against Gin, trying to strike with his free arm.

Gin released his hold voluntarily, pushing away from Kiria an instant before the hybrid was struck by a barrage of kunai. Each one of the small knives had been forged from ice, and Gin saw a wave of shuriken flying at Kiria as well.

Mizore flew toward Kiria, relentlessly launching frozen projectiles at him. The monster began defending himself against them after the first few minor hits, and had to bring his arm up to defend against the girl's claws. "What in the hell…? You were not this powerful before! What happened?" he said.

"You… you threatened my family and my people… you warped my mind and turned me into some kind of puppet… you made me kill the man I love! For all of that, I will drag you to hell with me!" Mizore shouted, lashing out at him again.

"Whoa!" Gin said. "Where the hell'd all that power come from?"

Kurumu smirked. "So, you've been holding back on me. I always knew you were a dangerous rival."

Mizore continued attacking relentlessly, unwilling to back off or let Kiria recover. "Stop, Mizore!" the hybrid monster said. "Do you really intend to harm me?"

The snow fairy continued her rage-filled onslaught. "You're nothing to me!" she screamed. "Never think you're that important! You only wanted to use me, to get to Tsukune!"

"But Mizore, I was mistaken! I see now how strong you are," Kiria answered.

"No, screw you," Mizore snapped. "You put all of us through hell for years, and now you want to apologize to me? Forget it."

Kiria's eyes narrowed. "But Mizore… I was under orders, you understand. Hokuto…"

"Stow it, pal," Gin shouted. "We know you're able to do what you want. You fought against the other Division Leaders to get your way. If you wanted to help us from the outset, you'd have done it."

"Shut your mouth and stay out of this, dog," the hybrid monster snapped. "You and the sexpot bitch, go play somewhere else."

"One more thing," Mizore said, her voice filled with frozen venom. "You never, _ever_ badmouth my friends in front of me again." She renewed her onslaught, threatening to drive Kiria back again.

The chimera would not be subdued, though. He met Mizore's force head-on, and blocked her attacks more easily this time. The two of them clashed again and again, each strike creating a small burst of explosions.

"Damn," Kurumu said. "We've gotta help her. She looks like she's matching him pretty evenly, but she's gonna start tiring out."

"I don't think we can even get close to her right now," Gin said.

"I… I can help her…" San said. "I can use my power to keep her stamina up."

"San…" Gin said. "It's risky, even if you're staying back here."

"I can't sit back and watch while all of you fight…" San said. "Just like against Kanade… I've made up my mind, Gin…" The siren closed her eyes and quietly began to sing. Her haunting melody flowed through the air, reaching the ears of her closest friends.

Mizore's onslaught intensified as she heard San's song. Kiria's eyes widened in shock, and he realized what was going on. "The siren… I'd not accounted for her… Fine, then. I'll just have to take care of her this way!" He pulled a whip from around his arm and lashed out at San.

When she was hit, the siren promptly stopped singing. Her eyes opened, and she tried to sing again, but her voice was normal. "What's happened…?" she said.

Kiria smirked. "Something wrong?" he asked. "Perhaps you haven't seen this particular beauty."

Kurumu's eyes widened in recognition. "That's… That's Belmond," she said. "How'd you get your hands on that?"

"It was stolen at the same time as Lilith's Mirror," Kiria said. "At first, I wasn't sure we'd even need it, but it's all too necessary now."

_Not good. Without San's power to help her, Mizore's going to start tiring out again,_ Kurumu thought. "Gin, we have to do something."

"You're not going to do anything," Kiria said. "This is the end of the road for all of you."

Across the way, Ruby and Yukari looked on in horror. "I can't believe he got his hands on Belmond," Ruby said. "It's going to be a lot more difficult to win."

"We have to get that away from him, or else we're all in danger," Yukari said.

"Yes, but I don't see how we can. He'd nullify our powers before we could even get close to him," Ruby said.

"Then what do we do?" Yukari asked. "The vampire blood isn't working on Saren… and Mizore's going to lose. At this rate, she'll be killed."

Mizore's fight against Kiria continued, but she felt her strength failing her. _No… I can't lose to him… I can't let him win! I have to… I have to beat him… I have to save Saren…_

"You're not going to defeat me, Mizore," Kiria said. "I have always been superior to you. I have always been stronger. And now I will prove it by killing you, and all your friends."

The chimera began lashing out at Mizore, with such speed and ferocity that the snow fairy could not keep up. He knocked her backwards into the wall of a partly-collapsed building, and she fell to the ground. The snow fairy quickly raised a wall of ice to protect herself from Kiria's strike, which the monster immediately shattered. He smiled mercilessly at her, raising his arm again to slash her with the blade.

Mizore shut her eyes in fear, knowing this would be the end for her. _I'm going to see Saren again… and my parents…_ She heard a rush of wind as Kiria's arm fell through the air, then heard a loud metallic clang. When she felt no pain, she opened her eyes.

The blade of Kiria's arm was frozen barely a foot away from her, suspended in its fall by another weapon, the wide, silvery blade of an axe. She could make out strange letters carved into the blade. She followed the weapon to its handle, then to the gloved hand holding it. Her eyes continued up the blue sleeve, past the blood-stained collar, and up to the blue eyes and brown hair she knew she'd find there.

The look Saren Tyndall gave to Kiria Yoshii struck fear into the hybrid monster, but Mizore felt her spirits soar. "You're finished picking on her," the half-elf said, his voice a growl. "You're finished doing every black thing you ever did in your life. This is the end for you."


	49. Chapter 49

**[49]**

Kiria wore surprise openly on his face. "How are you alive?" he asked. "You were dead. I watched Mizore kill you. No human could take that kind of damage, could lose that much blood, and still be alive!"

"You see," Saren said, "that's the one thing none of you can seem to grasp."

"And what's that?"

"I'm not human," Saren answered, pushing Kiria away from Mizore. Shifting the axe to his opposite hand, he offered his gloved hand to Mizore. "Are you alright?"

Mizore was still stunned that he was helping her up. "I… I'm fine… How are you…? I mean… Saren, I'm sorry… Kiria, he…"

"Don't worry about it," Saren answered. "It's his crime to answer for. I'm just glad you're okay."

"Neither of you will be alright for long," Kiria said, charging Saren with his arms raised.

Now that Mizore was on her feet, Saren released her hand, returning his axe to his hand and blocking Kiria's strike. "Longer than you will," the half-elf said. He almost casually tossed Kiria backward again, and began gathering mana.

"Watch it, Saren!" Kurumu shouted.

"Cool off," Saren said. "Ice Tornado!" A vortex of ice crystals swirled to life around Kiria, tearing into him.

When the effects of the spell subsided, Kiria smirked and said, "So you can use magic as well. I've got just the thing for that, then."

"And what's that?" Saren asked.

"Belmond," Kiria answered, brandishing the whip.

"Wait… what is Belmond?" San asked.

"It's a whip that was previously owned by Director Mikogami. It was kept locked up at Youkai Academy," Kurumu answered. "It has the ability to negate magical powers. That's why when it hit you, your singing stopped giving Mizore strength. Unfortunately, a large part of Saren's offense is magic-based."

"So what do we do…?" San asked.

"We have to try to get that whip away from him," Kurumu answered. "Trouble is, I don't know if we can get close enough."

"Hey, kid, you gotta get rid of that whip if you can!" Gin said. "There, problem solved."

Saren nodded as he returned his focus to Kiria. "Disarming your opponent is the primary tactical objective of any fight," he said. "Sorry, but I have to relieve you of your weapon now."

Kiria snarled at the half-elf. "Come get it, then," he said, lashing out at him. The whip struck, but the blow glanced off Saren's armored shoulder, reducing the impact.

The whip recoiled too quickly for Saren to grab it, but Saren advanced on Kiria, the Redwing Blade slashing out at the hybrid monster.

Kiria jumped backward to avoid the sword, the whip lashing out against to strike Saren's hand. The half-elf followed through his slashing motion, again taking the brunt of the whip's strike on his shoulder. Mizore tried to follow the two of them, looking for an opportunity to freeze Kiria, but the hybrid monster and the half-elf didn't seem to slow down.

_Maybe if I sent clones after him…_ the snow fairy thought. She tried to produce a pair of ice clones, but realized they looked rather weak. She examined them more closely and realized neither had a proxy of her sucker. Mizore fished in her pockets for it, but couldn't find it. _It must be in the room I was held in,_ she thought. _No choice, I have to send them anyway…_

The two ice clones moved to either side, with the hope they could each trap one of Kiria's arms, giving Saren an advantage. They moved slowly toward and around the warring men. One of them jumped toward Kiria's whip, turning the monster's attention away from both Saren and the other clone for a moment. The other clone leaped on Kiria's back, trying to wrestle him down.

The hybrid monster freed his arm, shattering the first clone in the process. He reached behind him, grabbing the other clone and judo-flipping it over him, smashing it into the ground. He lifted a foot as if to grind his heel into it, but was tackled by Gin, once more transformed.

Saren used the opportunity to begin gathering mana for a spell, crying out, "Aqua Edge!" Several small discs of water were hurled at Kiria. They struck the monster, causing him to grunt in pain.

The hybrid got back to his feet, kicking Gin on his way up, and lashed out with the whip toward Saren, wrapping it around the sword and pulling it away. The half-elf rolled underneath Kiria's next strike, and brought his axe down like a hammer against the monster's arm. The hybrid monster blocked the strike with the blade hidden in his arm, then wrapped his own arm around the handle of the axe, tearing it away from the half-elf as well. "What was that about disarming your opponent?" Kiria asked, smirking.

Saren refused to be baited, instead planting a foot in Kiria's stomach and pushing away from him. Kiria reached out with the whip again, trying to strike at Saren, but the half-elf anticipated the strike this time. He wrapped the whip around his arm and pulled sharply, jerking the weapon away from Kiria. "Opponent disarmed," the half-elf said.

The hybrid monster glared at him, but Saren casually wrapped the whip around his left arm, tying it off and wearing it as an accessory. "Now then," Saren said. "Since we've both been divested of our weapons, shall we resort to fisticuffs?"

"Surely you can't expect to win fighting me hand to hand," Kiria said.

"I expect to win by any means necessary," Saren replied. With a smirk, he added, "And don't call me Shirley."

Kiria stared at him with a dumbfounded expression, but shook his head. "You're going to be destroyed. No human would last seconds in a hand-to-hand fight with a superior monster such as myself."

"Again, not human," Saren said. "You're fixing to find out just how devastating this is for you." He dashed forward, catching the hybrid monster off guard, and rammed a fist into his gut. The monster staggered backward, bewildered.

"How is it you have this much power?" Kiria asked, when he regained his breath.

"That would probably be my elven blood," Saren said. "Either that, or the Exsphere designed to heighten my combat abilities. Basically, the only two things I really need to let you know you're not making it out of this alive."


	50. Chapter 50

**[50]**

Tsukune watched the battle between Saren and Kiria unfold in silence. Ruby and Yukari stood by him, as if guarding the spot where the half-elf had lain dead nearly a half-hour before. "Saren seems to be doing well," Yukari said. "He's gotten Belmond away from Kiria, at least."

"Yes, but both his weapons are gone as well," Ruby said. "And since Belmond is touching him, he can't use magic. That may end up hurting him in the long run."

Tsukune frowned. "Kiria is a hybrid monster with unusually strong power. Attacking him at close range is probably a mistake," he said. "Besides, I don't know what will happen now that he has Moka's blood."

"That's true," Ruby said. "Vampire blood can make someone very unstable if they're not used to it."

"Only one thing is for sure, then," Tsukune said. "Your friend has to end this fight quickly."

On the other side of the landing, the battle raged. Kiria slashed at Saren repeatedly with his bladed arms, but the half-elf dodged his attacks with apparent ease. Saren spun away from one of Kiria's strikes, retaliating with a roundhouse kick that impacted the monster's jaw.

_Damn, he's far stronger than I anticipated_, Kiria thought as he regained his footing and attacked again. He couldn't seem to strike the opponent, no matter what technique he tried. _Still, though, he came all this way for Mizore… She might be useful to me after all…_

The monster started fighting his way over toward the snow fairy, and when he got close enough, began attacking her as well. The half-elf realized what Kiria's strategy was, and tried to get between him and Mizore.

Kiria laughed at Saren's movements. It was almost ridiculous how predictable the boy was. "What's wrong? Don't want me attacking her?" he asked tauntingly.

"You've done enough to her for one lifetime," Saren said, his jaw set. "You'll never touch her again."

"Why are you so eager to defend her?" Kiria asked. "Even if you're not fully human, even if you are… part elven, did you say? The fact is, she's still a snow fairy. Still a monster. Why does that matter to you?"

"I would've hoped by now that you would learn," Saren said. "The circumstances of one's birth are irrelevant. The simple fact is that everyone has the right to be born, to live. What they do with their life determines their fate. Mizore is an innocent girl who uses her life to protect those she cares about. You use your life to destroy people you think are below you."

"They're humans. Pathetic, inferior creatures," Kiria said.

"You know, a few months ago, I would've agreed. Most of the humans of this world overindulge, and don't care about those around them. But some of them actually do care. They do possess some shred of honesty and decency. It's those people we're trying to protect. They're the ones who will shape the future of this world," Saren said.

"Yes, yes, I get all that," Kiria said. "But that still doesn't answer my question: Why Mizore? Why protect a girl who will be useless to you in a few short years anyway?"

"What'd you say?!" Saren shouted.

"It's true," Kiria said. "What, you mean to tell me you didn't know?"

"Didn't know what?" Saren asked. He glanced back at Mizore, caught a glimpse of a sorrowful expression on her face.

"I can't believe she didn't tell you," Kiria said. "The reason she was promised to Alucard at the age of seventeen is because of her biology. Snow fairies are only capable of bearing children from their mid-teens to their mid-twenties. She's what, nineteen now? So in about six years, her body will no longer be capable of having children. She won't be able to produce any heirs. She'll be completely worthless."

Saren looked back at Mizore again, saw her look away in shame. Then he looked back at the hybrid monster. "Thank you, Kiria," he said.

"For what?"

Saren glared at the monster. "For giving me conviction," he said. "For giving me the final justification I needed to end your pathetic existence." He shot forward with nearly imperceptible speed, catching the monster off guard as he landed a fist in his gut. The half-elf spun, landing a kick in Kiria's ribs, knocking the monster to the side.

Saren walked over and grabbed Kiria from where he'd landed on the ground, picking him up by the lapels of his jacket, and slammed him bodily into a wall. Face filled with rage, he cuffed the monster with the back of his hand. When Kiria's head rolled back around to look at Saren, Mizore saw something new. For the first time since she'd known him, she saw fear in Kiria's expression. She couldn't help feeling some trepidation herself. Where was Saren's power coming from?

"It's beginning to unbalance," Tsukune said, watching the proceedings. "The vampire blood is taking hold, making him unstable."

Gin, who had joined the three of them along with San, shook his head. "I don't think so, man," he said. "It's somethin' else."

"Like what?" Ruby asked.

"Saren's power ain't because of any vampire blood or anything like that," Gin said. He took San's hand in his, and added, "His power comes from wanting to protect the woman he loves, no matter what."

Tsukune blinked once, then turned his attention back on Saren and Mizore.

Kiria used a controlled burst of his energy to push Saren away from him, but the half-elf remained on his feet. "I've had it with you!" the monster said, kicking off the wall to strike at his opponent with an upraised arm.

"Good, I've had it with you too," Saren said, ducking under Kiria's blade and catching the monster around the throat with his arm, clothes lining him and driving him into the ground.

Kiria got back to his feet as Saren passed him, and turned to attack the half-elf again. Saren was prepared, though; as Kiria tried to get close, he hooked both hands around the monster's neck, jumping a bit before dragging the monster face-first into the floor, his own head saved from the impact by landing on Kiria's shoulder.

Saren quickly rolled off the monster's body, glaring down at his opponent. Kiria struggled back to his feet, clearly dazed by the impact. "What… what the hell… are you?" he asked.

"The instrument of your destruction," Saren answered. He grabbed the monster bodily, turning him upside-down, wrapping his arms around Kiria's gut.

Suspended with his head above the ground, Kiria began to panic. "Please… please have mercy…" Kiria said. "What about everyone having the right to life?"

"I said everyone has the right to be born and live. What you do with that life determines your fate," Saren said. "This is your fate." He let his knees collapse, dropping down to the ground. Kiria's head struck the ground, and there was a sickening crunching sound.

Saren released his hold, letting the monster's body fall on its own. He stood, looking down at his fallen foe. "I'm sorry your life couldn't have been used for something more productive. Something that would have helped to make a better future. It'll be small consolation for you in the afterlife," he said.

The half-elf gave a heavy sigh and turned back to Mizore. He walked slowly over to her. Her expression was still somewhat fearful, but she stood her ground. He put a hand gently on her arm, and said, "Finally… I've got you back."

Mizore began to cry, and wrapped her arms around him tightly. "Saren, I'm so sorry… I didn't mean to…"

Saren smiled and held her close, his right hand burying itself in her hair. "It's alright, Mizore," he said quietly. "I'm alive, and you're safe. That's all that I care about right now."

Mizore held him close, and felt his body sag an instant before his knees buckled. "Saren?!" She tried catching him and lowering him gently to the ground again. "Help!" she cried out to her friends. "Everyone, something's wrong with Saren!"


	51. Chapter 51

**[51]**

"Mizore," Tsukune said, once the door to Saren's room was shut. "I need to talk to you about a few things."

"Sure, what is it?" the snow fairy asked, sitting down on the half-elf's sofa. The group had decided to bring Saren to his apartment to rest, once they established he was out of mortal danger. Mizore pulled from her sucker, which they'd found in the room where she'd been held captive.

"Well, first, how are you doing?" Tsukune asked. "I know it's been a couple of years since we really actually spoke."

"I'm alright, I guess," Mizore said. "I won't lie to you. The past few months have been miserable. My home was destroyed… my parents…" Her words failed her as her throat closed, her eyes filling with tears.

"I know," Tsukune said, frowning. "I was sorry to hear about that."

"When they died… I just wanted to stop…" Mizore said. "I wanted to stay there and die with them…"

"Then what stopped you?"

"Honestly… it was him. It was Saren," the snow fairy said, gesturing to Saren's door. "He saw what I was doing, knew what I was thinking… He fought his way to me… He grabbed hold of me, told me he'd never let me go…"

"I see," Tsukune said. "Well, that brings me to my next point. How much do you care for him?"

Mizore looked somewhat taken aback at his sudden question. "I… I care for him a lot… Maybe more than anyone I've ever met, except for my friends…"

"Don't be offended, Mizore," Ruby said, rounding the corner. "Tsukune's just worried, that's all."

"Worried about what?" Mizore asked. "What's going on?"

Tsukune frowned. "Well, there's no really easy way to say this. When I arrived at Fairy Tale's base, I found you all in time to watch you… to watch you break free of the brainwashing. When you went to fight Kiria, I stayed behind to see what I could do for Saren. The only way to save him, unfortunately, was to give him some of Moka's blood."

"Wait, so Moka's blood brought him back to life?" the snow fairy asked. "Just like it did for you when you fought Kuyou?"

Tsukune nodded. "That's why I'm worried. I don't want him to become a Ghoul. As powerful as he is, I'm afraid there'd be no hope of stopping him."

"I don't think we have to worry about that," Ruby said. "Remember, it took multiple injections of Moka's blood to trigger that transformation in you, and you were fully human. Saren also has elven blood, and we have no information on what properties that gives him, other than allowing him to use magic. So there's really no way to know what the reaction with Moka's blood might be."

"Please, don't worry about Saren. If anything happens to him… Well, I'll be the first one to notice any changes. If I have to… I'll take care of him…" Mizore said.

Tsukune frowned. "I hope it won't come to that, Mizore," he said. "I can see how the two of you care for each other."

Mizore nodded. "Well, he promised my parents… He promised them he'd protect me with his life…" she said. "But the truth is… I want to do the same thing. I feel horrible about what I did… He's too important to me to risk him being harmed again…"

Tsukune smiled at the snow fairy. "I understand, Mizore," he said. "You love him. And from what I've been told, he loves you too. I'm happy for you."

Mizore nodded silently. She knew his words were genuine, and something made her glad to hear them. They'd never really reconciled during the time Tsukune had been gone, and so she had no idea if she could still consider him a friend. They'd always said they'd be friends forever, and she had told him she'd always be his stalker forever. But didn't high school kids always tell each other that? And didn't they always go their separate ways, only catching up every ten years or so…?

Still, she'd reconnected with Kurumu, Yukari, and Ruby… Maybe they would be friends forever… She hoped, at least.

"Welcome back, Kira," the brown-haired woman said. "How was Earth?"

"It was fine, mom," Kira answered, smiling. "Though I did end up making another little detour to Aselia."

"Aselia? What for?" Makoto asked.

"Well, I ended up having to follow Saren," she said. "Turns out he got a book from Sybak. I think he's researching the Kharlan War."

"I wonder why," Makoto said.

"No idea, but I think it has something to do with that girl," Kira answered.

"Which one, Mizore?"

"Yes, that's her," Kira said.

"Oh! That reminds me," Makoto said. "There was a message for you. They did some checking into the person you asked about."

"Oh, thanks, mom," Kira said. "I haven't synchronized my Omni since I got back." She worked the holographic device for a moment, and read the message. Her eyes widened in shock. "Oh, this isn't good."

"What's wrong?" Makoto asked.

"Something I just found out. I have to get back to the 21st century. I have to talk to Saren," Kira answered. "This… is going to break his heart."


	52. Chapter 52

**[52]**

Saren could feel the light cutting in, intruding on the darkness he was immersed in. He cracked open an eye, and was almost blinded by the sunlight creeping in the window. His vision adjusted, and he opened his eyes fully. _Huh…? I'm in my apartment. What am I doing here?_ He thought back to what he could remember. He'd been trying to rescue Mizore, then had been brought back to life, then fought Kiria…

_So that's it. Either I passed out after that fight, or else everything's been a dream,_ the half-elf thought. He heard a light snore, and turned over to the right, seeing a purple-haired girl sitting in a chair beside him, her head on his bed. _Mizore… So it wasn't a dream…_

He smiled as he watched her sleep, debating for a few moments whether to wake her up. Instead, he slid out the opposite side of the bed, walking around it to Mizore's side, picking the girl up as gently as possible. She fidgeted for a moment, but remained asleep, and Saren laid her in the bed.

He found his mostly ruined jacket in the corner. Fishing into a pocket, he pulled out his wingpack and removed the box of dry ice from it, setting it next to the bed and opening it for Mizore. He took a moment to change clothes, discarding the ruined shirt. Then he found the book he'd gotten from Sybak, and padded quietly out of the room, closing the door behind him.

"Yo, Saren, you're up," Gin said, waving at him from the front door.

"Oh, Gin, you're here too," the half-elf said.

"I just got here," he said. "You alright, man? You were out for awhile."

"How long?"

"About four days," the werewolf said, frowning. "Ruby and the others oughta be up in a minute. San's got a couple of friends down the road, they set us up with some hotel rooms on the cheap."

"Oh, that's good. And Mizore?" Saren asked.

"Hasn't left your side, man," Gin said. "She's the one who thought about bringing you here til you woke up. We were kinda worried, but she insisted on staying here. Said it was her turn to watch over you."

"I see. I'm sorry to cause any problems for you all," Saren said. "How are things in the outside world?"

"Not bad, for right now," Gin said. "Tsukune's been runnin' back and forth to the monster world, makin' sure no trouble gets started. Rest of us have been takin' it in turns to either go with him, or come check on you two. He's kinda ticked at you, by the way."

"For what?" the half-elf asked.

"Killin' Kiria. Not sayin' he didn't have it comin', but apparently Tsukune wanted him alive. Wanted to find out where Hokuto was. Now he's got jack to go on," Gin answered.

"Oh," Saren said. "I appreciate your concern, anyway. I feel alright, for the most part."

There was a knock at the door, and it opened, revealing Ruby and Yukari standing outside. "Oh! Saren, you're awake," the elder witch said. "Are you feeling well?"

"I'm fine, Ruby, thank you," the half-elf answered. "Gin told me what's been going on lately. I didn't mean to cause such an issue."

"Oh, no, it's no problem at all. This has actually been quite a nice break for all of us," Ruby said. "Truth be told, we've all been worried about you. Gin told you Mizore has refused to leave?"

Saren nodded. "Yeah, he mentioned that. I think she worries too much."

Ruby smiled. "She loves you. And you know you'd do the same thing for her. After all, you were the one who led the charge to get her back."

Saren returned her smile, and was about to speak when he was interrupted by another knock at the door. Ruby gave the door a puzzled look, indicating she wasn't expecting anyone else to drop by. Saren crossed to the front door and opened it, revealing his sister standing outside.

"Oh, there you are," Kira said. "I've been looking all over. Sorry, I didn't realize you had company."

"No, it's fine, come in," the half-elf said. He made a quick round of introductions, and turned back to his sister. "What's up? Something on your mind?"

"Well," Kira said, glancing at the floor, "I actually kind of wanted to talk to you in private."

"Oh, alright," Saren said. Turning back to Ruby, he said, "Excuse me for a moment. I'll be outside." He followed his sister out the door, closing it behind them. "Alright, Kira, what's up?"

His sister still refused to meet his eyes. "Well… it's about Mizore. I, ah, I did some checking on her when I went home last time," she said. "Saren… it's not good…"

"You did what?" Saren asked, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly. "I just had to. I thought there was something up with her, and I wanted to make sure you weren't walking into something you weren't ready for."

Saren sighed heavily. "What did you find? Obviously it was important, or you wouldn't be here."

"Well… that's the thing. I couldn't find anything," Kira answered. "There are records on her up until she starts attending high school, and then after that a minor note about her graduating Youkai Academy. After that, nothing at all."

"What's that mean?" Saren asked.

"Well, it could mean she's dead," Kira said.

"I've got fairly convincing evidence that suggests otherwise," Saren answered dryly.

"I know. I'm not saying the woman you were with isn't Mizore, and I know all of her friends will vouch for the fact that that's really her," Kira said. "The other alternative, the more likely one, is that she disappeared. Or will disappear, sometime in the immediate future. Or she'll be killed. One of those two."

Saren's jaw clenched. "She's not going to die," he said. "I refuse to let that happen."

Kira smiled sadly. "I know, big brother," she said. "I've been watching you for a little while, and you're extremely protective of her. To be honest, I'm a little jealous. But listen, that's not the only reason I'm here."

"What else is there?" he asked.

"I wanted to tell you to go back and try talking to dad again. In this time, I mean, not our time," Kira said. "They're back from Greece by now, and when I went home, mom said you needed to talk to him. She said he might have an answer now to help with the problem you mentioned at their wedding."

"Alright," Saren said. "That all?"

"That's all. Again, I'm sorry, Saren. I wish I'd brought better news," Kira said. "I'll keep looking into it and I'll let you know if anything changes." She left, and Saren went back inside his apartment.

"Everything alright?" Ruby asked. "You look like she had bad news to give you."

"Not necessarily bad… just something she's uncertain about," Saren said. "She wanted to let me know, so I'd be prepared." He shifted past the witches and the werewolf, and went back into his bedroom. Closing the door, he turned to look at the purple-haired snow fairy laying asleep in his bed.

He had never harbored any doubt that she was who she said she was. He had never imagined any possibility that anything in the world was wrong. In the past five days or so, though, he'd been told so many things that he, rather irrationally, felt had been designed to tear him away from her. _Like what __Kiria__ said about her being unable to have children after her mid-twenties… there was no other purpose to that, he just wanted to see us torn apart._

That thought surprised him. He had not realized previously that having children would be so important to him, since he'd rarely given it more than a passing thought. For some reason, though, Kiria mentioning that fact about snow fairies had genuinely angered him. And then, he'd even felt a flash of anger at his sister for looking into her biography, and telling him that she might die or disappear soon.

He rubbed his eyes, letting his hand drop against his leg. _This is stupid_, he thought. _This is not like me at all. I shouldn't be getting angry so easily._ And yet he was. He couldn't deny that this anger was rooted in his desire to protect Mizore. But it had gone beyond that. He genuinely loved her, and had finally admitted it to her in Flanoir. He knew that he'd have to make a choice soon, about whether to stay here in the past with her, or to try to take her with him to the future. It was possible Setsuna would punish him severely for it, but he didn't care. He trusted his own abilities enough that he thought he could adapt to any sentence she decided to pass on him.

As he looked at Mizore again, and watched her sleep, he made a decision and a silent vow to himself. No matter what happened, he swore that he would protect Mizore. He would keep her from death's door, and would never let her out of his sight. Even if it cost him his life again, he would make sure she was safe. And if by some miracle they both came out of this alive, he would devote the rest of his life to her happiness, no matter what it took.


	53. Chapter 53

**[53]**

When Tsukune returned to the apartment, he was surprised to find Saren already awake. _Looks like Ruby was right. His elven blood has given him an edge._ "Saren, good to see you've recovered," he said.

Saren nodded. "You must be Tsukune Aono. It seems you're the one I'm indebted to for restoring me to life," he said.

"Not really," Tsukune said. "It was Moka's blood that restored your life. I just brought it to you. Besides, I understand you've been keeping my friends safe. That should make us even."

The half-elf shrugged. "That's probably oversimplifying it a bit, but I'll let it go. Sorry about killing Kiria. Gin told me you needed info from him."

"Don't worry about it. After what happened, I'd probably have killed him myself. Anyway, I've heard from Mizore about what happened in her parents' village. That couldn't be easy for you," Tsukune said. "But I do thank you for saving her life, and for honoring her parents' last wishes."

"My father once told me that our word is the core of our honor. If we break our word, our honor is worthless. I consider myself an honorable man, Tsukune," the half-elf said.

"I know. I wouldn't dare suggest otherwise. It seems that Mizore's attachment to you is rather strong. She's made a few wrong choices in the past, but I think this time she chose well," Tsukune said. "I would ask you to be careful, though. For two reasons."

"And those are…?" the half-elf asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Well, Mizore has a tendency to get a little _too_ attached to someone, and she'll follow them around like a lost puppy. I think part of it is because she's a snow fairy, and past her mid-teens, which means she needs to have children soon, if she's going to at all," Tsukune said. "And she can be rather, ah, _forceful_ about it, too."

"I heard the biological part from Kiria, but I haven't noticed the behavioral traits from her," Saren replied.

"Well, she may have outgrown them. Just don't be surprised if she decides to ambush you naked in the bathroom," Tsukune said. "Anyway, my other word of caution is because… well, because of you."

"Because of me?"

"Tell me, do you know what a Ghoul is?" Tsukune asked. Saren shook his head, and Tsukune explained. "A Ghoul is a monster without equal. They are among the strongest of any creature, living or dead. Their regenerative abilities are far more advanced than anything else. Their bloodlust is unmatched, even by the most ravenous vampire.

"They're also immensely powerful. Their aura is said to be stronger than anything ever seen on Earth before, and darker than the pure black night," Tsukune said. "Of course, that's not to say they're purely evil, but historically, they have a tendency to view anything else with disdain. Anyway, the traits of the Ghoul aren't hereditary, they're not passed on from father to son or mother to daughter. A Ghoul's power is something like a mutation. You have to drink the blood of a vampire or other strong monster in order to become one, or else have their blood injected into you through other means."

"Alright, I'm following you so far," Saren said, mentally cataloguing everything Tsukune was telling him. "What exactly does this have to do with me?"

"You've heard Mizore and her friends talk about Moka, right? Moka Akashiya?" Tsukune asked. When Saren nodded, he said, "When I was in high school, I was saved by her several times. A few years ago, I was almost killed by a demon named Kuyou. I believe you've had dealings with him."

"To say the least," the half-elf said flatly. "He tried his best to do me in as well."

"Obviously he failed," Tsukune said, offering up a small smile. "Anyway, Moka saved me in much the same manner, by injecting me with some of her blood. Since I was born human, I'm not able to become a true vampire, at least not at first. But my body mutated anyway, and after a short time I started to become a Ghoul. I almost killed a few of my friends, including Kurumu."

"You're worried that I'll end up with this mutation as well," Saren said, putting an end to Tsukune's diatribe.

"In short, yes," Tsukune said.

"Fair enough," Saren said. "Let me ask you, how much do you know about elves?"

"Admittedly, not much, aside from myths and fairy tales told when we're kids," Tsukune said.

"I see. Most of those are skewed, as well," Saren said, frowning. "Let's see… Elves first came to Aselia, my world, about ten thousand years ago. They were originally from Derris-Kharlan, a wandering space comet. They transformed the world from a barren wasteland into a bountiful world full of life. Their ability to use magic aided them in turning my world into a paradise. But they also had methods of controlling other magical forces. In that ten-thousand year span, both elves and half-elves have created new methods for harnessing and controlling magical forces, including the use of Exspheres. That said, I should be able to control Moka's blood and keep this Ghoul mutation at bay."

Tsukune thought for a moment about what the half-elf said. Then he nodded. "Alright," he said. "I'll wish you luck, then."

"Going somewhere?" Saren asked.

"I have to. I only told Moka I would help you guys out in the fight with Kiria. I've already been gone longer than I was supposed to," Tsukune said. "It's dangerous for me to do a lot of fighting because of my power."

"Alright," Saren said. "I should be back to pretty much full strength by now, anyway. I won't say we wouldn't appreciate your help regardless, but if you can't, then there's no way around it."

"Well… good luck in your fight," Tsukune said. "And all of you, please take care of each other."

Tsukune left, and Saren turned back to the others. "So, that's Tsukune, eh?"

Gin snorted in amusement. "Yeah, that's Tsukune," he said. "Hard to think he's the same human we met a few years ago."

Ruby smiled. "That's certainly true. Then again, in truth, none of us are exactly the same as we were when we first met. Even Saren's changed a little bit in the past few months."

"I guess you're right," Gin said. "Anyway, I wonder what's next for us."

"How do you mean?" Ruby asked.

"Well, we've still gotta take down Kuyou, don't we?" he said. "And there's still the monsters threatenin' to wipe out all the humans. We gotta watch out for them. What do you think, Saren?"

The half-elf frowned. "To be honest, I'm not sure. It's true those monsters could come barreling through at any time, so we have to restore the barrier somehow. I picked up a book last time I was home, and I think there's something in there I can use, but…"

"But what?" Ruby asked.

_But I'm not sure what using those techniques here would mean. If I create the same kind of barrier used after the Kharlan War, the human and monster worlds would be utterly separated. You'd be stuck on one side or the other. Everyone would have to make up their minds now where they wanted to stay, and that could mean saying goodbye to everyone you cared about… Even Mizore would have to make that decision. And ultimately, so would I._ "It's nothing. The truth is, I haven't done enough research yet. Plus, when Kira was over earlier, she said that my dad wanted to see me. He probably has something important to talk to me about. I should go and try to track him down."

"Let me go with you…" Mizore said, opening the door to Saren's bedroom. "I want to help you…"

Saren smiled gently at the snow fairy. "Alright, Mizore. It'll probably just be boring talk, anyway."

"In the meantime, Yukari and I will go back to the Academy. We have to return Belmond to the Director's office, and he may be able to help us out with this problem as well," she said. "Gin, what are you and San going to do?"

"There's bound to be monsters already on this side, ready to start tearing everything up," Gin said. "San and I'll track 'em down, see if we can't convince 'em otherwise, one way or another."

"Don't do anything reckless," Saren said. "If anything happens, try to keep it contained. I'll more than likely sense it and be right there to help."

"Alright. You guys take care," Gin said before leaving.

_He's right. We all need to take care,_ Saren thought. _Things are coming to a head, and we need to be prepared for whatever the end result will be._


	54. Chapter 54

**[54]**

"How are you feeling, Saren?" Mizore asked, as they wandered the streets of Tokyo.

"I'm alright," the half-elf answered. "Thank you for taking care of me the last few days."

"It was nothing. It was the least I could do, considering it was my fault you were in that condition to start with…"

"No it wasn't," Saren said. "Kiria and Kanade kidnapped you. They brainwashed you. Nothing that happened was your fault."

"I know…" Mizore said. "I still feel guilty about it, though. I feel like I should've done more…"

Saren stopped, grabbing Mizore's hand to half her progress as well. "Mizore, wait a second. You've got nothing to feel guilty about. I talked with Kurumu while you were asleep. She said that whatever brain control had been used on the three of you was intense; she could barely break the hold on Ruby and Yukari. You couldn't have been expected to fight it off on your own. That you managed to do so after what happened was impressive, according to her."

Mizore frowned and looked down at her shoes. "But… I still hurt you… Actually, I killed you."

"And yet here I am, surprisingly active for a dead man," Saren said, smiling.

"You know what I mean!" Mizore shouted, surprising herself and Saren. "I'm sorry… I… I'm just a bit torn up right now… I shouldn't have come with you…"

"No, I wanted you to come with me," Saren said. "I told you before, I'm going to protect you."

"But why, after I've caused you so much pain?" she asked.

The half-elf smiled. "Already answered that, too. I love you, Mizore. You're important to me, special. That's why I went after you, without hesitation. I sacrificed myself so you would be free. If I have to, I'll do it all over again."

"But Saren," Mizore said. "What if I'm not good enough?"

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Saren asked.

"Well… I'm nineteen… in a few years, I won't be able to have children anymore…" she said. "I'll be useless… just like Kiria said…"

Saren sighed, shaking his head and smiling at her. He took both of her hands in his and said, "There's a time and place for this sort of conversation. I don't think the middle of the street in Tokyo is really it, particularly now. I promise you, though, we will talk about it. And I promise you, even if you could never have children, I will still love you. You will always be special to me."

Mizore finally met his gaze, tears in her eyes. She pulled her hands free of his, only to wrap her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Saren… I… Oh, Saren… I love you too…"

The half-elf returned her hug, ignoring the stares of the passersby. He kissed her forehead gently, and said, "Come on, let's go get this over with. The sooner we find a solution, the sooner we can beat Kuyou. The sooner we do that, the sooner we can have this talk."

Mizore nodded, smiling, and said, "Alright."

The two of them sat in the living room of Saren's parents, anxiously awaiting the news the half-elf's father had to give. Makoto brought the two of them a cup of tea, and said, "I'm glad the two of you have been doing alright."

Saren gave a half-smirk and said, "Well, it's been a little difficult, but we've managed."

"Meaning you've been to the brink of death in the past four days and still managed to bounce back," Makoto said with a knowing smile. "And don't give me that look. You're exactly like Adrian. I may not have known him for more than a couple of years, and we've only been married for a week. But I know my husband anywhere, and you're definitely his son."

Mizore smiled at the two of them, forcing herself not to laugh. "It's been difficult, Mrs. Tyndall, but Saren really has been able to do great things," she said. "He recently helped me… at great risk to himself…"

"That sounds like his father too," Makoto said. "Saren, Adrian should be here any minute. Why not wait for him in the study?"

The prince nodded and got up, giving Mizore's hand a squeeze. He walked into the other room, and the snow fairy looked up as Makoto sat down across from her.

"So, Mizore," she said. "What can you tell me about my son?"

"I'm… I'm not sure how much you want me to tell…" Mizore said. "I mean… well, you've heard about what we've been doing since he's been here…"

"I know," Makoto said. "He's been getting into danger regularly, and then finding his way right back out again. Adrian's the same way. He never had trouble throwing himself in the middle when someone else was in danger. That was more or less how he and I met."

Mizore nodded. "Saren is exactly the same. I was in trouble recently, and he risked his life to save me," she said. "He's… he's so amazing… It's almost impossible to believe he's real."

Makoto laughed quietly. "You sound just like I did two years ago," she said. "I've been in love plenty of times before, or at least I thought I was. When I got to know Adrian… well, I started to see that all those were just silly schoolgirl crushes. He got to know me for who I really was."

"Who you really were…?" Mizore asked.

Makoto smiled. "That's… kind of a secret. Let's just say that Adrian and Saren aren't the only warriors in our family. I've been fighting for justice for years too, in my own way," she said.

"I guess… I guess I'm doing the same thing," Mizore said. "Trying to keep monsters from destroying humans… even though I'm…"

"It's okay," Makoto said. "Fighting your own kind can be tough, I've learned that in my life too. But everything we do ends up making us stronger, I think. Having the courage to stand up to anything that tries to break us down. That's probably part of why Saren is the way he is. I'm sure his parents tried to instill their values in him."

Mizore nodded. "My parents did as well, I think. My mom tried to teach me to stand up for what I believed in, even if it meant going against everyone else. She said that I was the only one who really knew what was best for me. There's a… a law in my homeland. Girls who turn seventeen have to be married to someone chosen by our leader, and begin having children as soon as possible. Our population is pretty low, so it's to keep our race alive. I knew that, but… I fought back. I didn't want to have my husband chosen for me, I wanted to make my own decision. It came with a price…"

"But sometimes that price is worth it," Makoto said, smiling again. "And I think you know that already."

Mizore nodded. "I just have to wonder how long this can last…" she said.

"What do you mean?" the brown-haired woman asked.

"Saren's… well, he's from the future. You know that… so when he has to go back… we'll be…"

Makoto shook her head, reaching across the gap to touch Mizore's hand. "He'll have to go back eventually, that's true. But who says you can't go with him?" she asked.

"But… he said he couldn't… I mean, that would mess the future up, wouldn't it?" Mizore asked.

Makoto put a finger to her lips and winked at the snow fairy. "Don't worry about tomorrow's problems today," she said. "If you love him, don't let anything stand in your way. And if someone does try, you can bet I'll be there to rough 'em up."


	55. Chapter 55

**[55]**

Saren turned as the door opened, and he tried not to cringe as Adrian walked into the study. _Even here in the past, he's still an intimidating figure,_ the prince thought.

"Glad you could make it over here," Adrian said. "Are you doing alright? Monsters giving you any trouble?"

"Nothing I can't handle. That's what Mizore and I were just talking to mom about. Er, Makoto," Saren answered. "Anyway, I apologize for what happened last week. I didn't intend to crash your wedding."

Adrian waved it away. "It's fine. I'm sure you heard, the wedding almost didn't take place to begin with."

"Ami mentioned something to that effect, yes. Umm, Kira said you wanted to see me?" Saren asked.

"Yes. I had a couple of things I wanted to talk to you about," Adrian answered. "First, and most importantly, I want you to stop researching the Kharlan War."

"What? But why?" Saren asked.

"Because I know what you're thinking," Adrian answered. "You want to duplicate what happened after the war, and separate the human and monster worlds. It's a good idea, and probably the exact sort of thing I'd do in your position, if I didn't know what I know."

"Why won't it work?" Saren asked.

"The solution that ended the Kharlan War is the very same idea that began the cycle of the Chosen, and the Journey of Regeneration. The solution was to split the world in two, but the mana supply would stay the same. If the Chosen's journey had to begin here…"

"Then monsters would find a way over and keep assassinating the human Chosen. The human world would be starved of mana and humans would die," Saren finished.

"So while you'd be saving the human race in the short term, in the long run you'd be condemning them to an even slower death," Adrian said.

Saren sighed. "I didn't do enough research on the war, and so I had no way of predicting the end result of my actions," he said. "I would've found the answer eventually…"

"But by the time you did, it would probably be too late," Adrian said. "You're from the future, though. Surely you must know whether the world was supposed to be separated like that?"

Saren shook his head. "I don't know that much about Earth. I decided to spend most of my time on Aselia," he said. "The few times I did go to Earth, I never heard anything about the monster realm. I'm not certain why."

Adrian frowned. "It's not a surprise. I'd never heard of it before last week," he said. "It's possible that whatever's going on here blows over and monsters go back into seclusion. Our job is making sure that happens peacefully. We have to restore that barrier, which brings me to my second point."

"Which is what?" Saren asked.

"I want you to go back to Aselia with me," Adrian said. "We can find a way to repair the existing barrier, and also a way to increase your power."

"Increase my power…?" Saren asked.

"You're having this difficulty seemingly out of nowhere. You have an opponent somewhere trying to make things difficult. If you're going to fight him, you're going to need help," Adrian answered.

The three of them materialized near the sea, and Mizore blinked the harsh sunlight away. She staggered for a moment, but when Saren took her hand in concern, she smiled at him. "I'm fine," she said. "The trip was a little easier this time around."

"So what exactly are we here for?" Saren asked.

Adrian pushed his sunglasses up on his nose and said, "There's an ancient mine near here that has something that might help us. Back before the world reintegration, it was owned by the Lezareno Company."

"I don't get it, what's so special about a mine?" Saren asked.

"This particular mine was where Exspheres were excavated," Adrian said. "It was supposed to have been destroyed, but because of the suppression of magitechnology caused by the World Regeneration cycle, the efforts they made back in those days only succeeded in sealing it."

Saren frowned. "How are Exspheres going to help us? I mean, I already have one here, so it's not like one more could help."

"We're not looking for a normal Exsphere," Adrian said. "We're looking for a Cruxis Crystal. You have that control unit that's supposed to seal the barrier, right?"

"Yeah. What'd you need it for?" Saren asked, handing it to his father.

Adrian examined it closely. "The unit itself, of course, is nothing special. The core, on the other hand, is a special sort of gem. That's the source of its power. If we replace this stone with a Cruxis Crystal, it'll amplify the barrier's power."

"Oh, I get it," Saren said. "Exspheres don't just amplify humans' combat abilities, they also work on machines and whatnot."

"Right, so putting one on this control unit and restoring it to the barrier generator would make the barrier that much more powerful," Adrian said.

Mizore nodded. "It seems like a good idea. The trouble is, we don't know how that stone was integrated in the first place. It was made by one of the Three Dark Lords," she said.

"It'll take time to research, but hopefully we'll find that answer quickly," Adrian said. "In the meantime, while I'm in the mine digging for the crystal, I want you to head to Thoda Island."

"Why go there?" Saren asked.

"You're going to make a pact with Undine, the Summon Spirit of Water," Adrian answered. "The elements you control are ice and water. You'll be able to control her pretty easily."

"Alright," Saren said. "Mizore, honey, maybe you better stay with Adrian. You might be safer."

Mizore shook her head. "No, I want to come with you. I want to see you make a pact. It sounds fascinating," she said.

"Might as well not argue with her," Adrian said, smirking. "It's easier on you in the long run. Less of a headache. Trust me."


	56. Chapter 56

**[56]**

Saren and Mizore landed at the dock that sent ships to Thoda Island. "Why are we here at the docks?" Mizore asked, dismounting from the Rheaird. "Why not land on the island directly?"

"There are only so many places I can land on Thoda Island," Saren explained. "All of them are on a promontory, and have a sharp drop off a cliff. Most lead to the ocean, but a few lead into a geyser."

Mizore's eyes widened. "A geyser, huh? I see your point," she said. "So we're taking a ship to the other side?"

"Yes," Saren answered. "Now that they actually have a dedicated ferry service."

"What do you mean?" Mizore asked.

The half-elf smirked. "Back in the days of World Regeneration, the Chosen would have to make the crossing via washtubs."

Mizore gave him a skeptical look. "Washtubs?"

"It sounds strange, but it actually is true," Saren said. "Sylvarant was in decline, so their fleet was limited to sailing vessels and steamships, which no one wanted to risk against monsters. Thoda Island was a required part of the Chosen's journey, since the Seal of Water is in a cave beside the geyser."

"Oh, I see," Mizore said. The two of them walked toward the small building beside the dock. Saren led her inside, and she recognized some of the décor. "Is this a Church of Martel?"

"Close," Saren answered. "It's a House of Salvation. People can stop here on their journeys if they need food or a place to rest. Occasionally, people come here simply to pray at the altar."

Mizore nodded, wandering over to the altar while Saren waited in line at the ticket counter. The snow fairy studied the small statue of Spiritua for a moment before closing her eyes. _I don't know if you're listening…_ she thought, _but I hope you are… I pray for the safety of my friends back on Earth, and for the humans in danger of being attacked… I pray for our safety as we head to Thoda Island, and for Saren as he makes this pact… I pray we can find a way to save Earth… and that Saren and I can live in peace…_

She opened her eyes and turned around to see Saren standing behind her, smiling at her. "Everything alright?" he asked.

Mizore nodded. "I'm fine," she said. "Just… talking to someone."

Saren wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "Your parents? Or Martel?" he asked.

"I guess, in a way, a little of both," she said. "Mostly Martel, though. I just… I want everything to turn out alright. I want to find a way to save the Earth, and all my friends."

Saren nodded. "I want the same thing, believe me. Most of all, though, I want to keep you safe. If I thought you'd actually listen, I'd tell you to stay here in Aselia while I take on Kuyou," he said, smiling. "But I know you'll refuse, or find a way to sneak over anyway."

Mizore smiled. "I have to. Someone has to make sure you don't run off and leave me," she said. "And I don't trust Kurumu not to try to steal you away from me."

Saren chuckled quietly. "And you don't trust me to come back on my own?" he asked.

"Well, no, I do…" Mizore said. "I just want you to be safe, that's all…"

Saren put a finger to her lips. "I know. Come on, let's get going. The ferry's leaving soon," he said.

The crossing to Thoda Island was smooth, despite the condition of the ferry they traveled on. _Maybe the washtubs would've been a better option_, Saren thought. _Looks like this thing's been neglected for years_.

They disembarked from the small ship, and Mizore immediately felt the heat from the geyser wash over her. "Wow…" she said. "It's even warmer than the hot springs back home…"

Saren nodded. "The Thoda geyser erupts with a certain regularity. It's temperature is such that staying near it for too long can result in scalding. That's why you'll see tour guides switching out every half hour or so. Fortunately, where we'll be going is a bit cooler, and safe from the geyser."

He led her toward the geyser, letting her get a good look at it for as long as she wanted, then they began to walk toward the right, to the cliff face. "What we're looking for here is a small cavern," Saren explained. "The switch to reveal it should be right around here…" He found the switch and pressed it, and a portion of the rock face swung silently inward, revealing a hole large enough for a man to enter. Saren took Mizore's hand and led her inside, and the rock swung closed behind them.

The cavern contained some of the glowing rocks they'd found in Celsius' temple, providing illumination for them to make their way deeper in. After a few minutes, they felt the ground begin to tremble, and Mizore clung to Saren. "It's alright," he said. "It's just the geyser erupting. It'll pass in a second… there it is." The shaking stopped, and Mizore looked around.

"Does that happen that often?" she asked.

"About every half hour or so. Hopefully we'll be out of here by then," the half-elf answered. He continued to lead her through the cavern, until they reached a glowing, circular platform. "And that's what we're here for."

"What is it?" she asked.

"The altar," Saren replied. "The Seal of Water, which houses Undine." He released Mizore's hand and took a few more steps toward it. The altar began to glow more brightly, and a ball of energy the color of the sea began to swirl into existence. After a momentary flash of light, the ball expanded, twisting its shape to take the form of a blue-skinned woman with pointed ears and a ballroom-style dress.

"Who disturbs this altar?" the woman asked.

"My name is Saren Tyndall," Saren replied. "I seek audience with Undine, the Summon Spirit of Water."

"I am Undine. State your business."

Taking a knee, Saren said, "I come before you to request a pact."

"You understand the power that you seek?" Undine asked. "The ebb and flow of the tide, the treachery of the ocean?"

"I do," he answered.

"Then stand, pact-maker. Stand and fight," Undine said.

"Fight…?" Mizore asked, her eyes widening.

"In order to form a pact with me, the pact-maker must demonstrate his is able to control my power by proving his worth," Undine said.

"I am ready, Undine," Saren said, drawing his weapons.

"Then prepare yourself," the Summon Spirit replied.

"Wait!" Mizore said. "If you'll permit it, I want to fight alongside him."

Saren gave the snow fairy a bewildered look, but Mizore silently nodded her head. The Summon Spirit regarded her for a moment, then nodded. "Very well. I shall test your strength as well."


	57. Chapter 57

**[57]**

Saren drew his weapons the same instant Mizore readied her ice claws. The half-elf immediately charged Undine, attempting to catch the Summon Spirit off guard. Undine braced for his attack, blocking his sword with one of her own. Mizore looked at the hilt, and noticed it had the pattern of a fish's tail.

Mizore waited a few moments before she entered the fight, trying to size up her opponent. _I can sense incredible power from her_, Mizore thought. _Saren mentioned that those Summon Spirits were thousands of years old. I have to be ready for anything._

That particular thought seemed appropriate, as the Summon Spirit began combating Saren's movements quickly. The half-elf tried to change his battle style, but Undine continued to adapt to all of them. Mizore nodded, realizing that Undine had pegged Saren as her major opponent. _It's time to remind her that I'm here, too…_

The snow fairy swung her arm out, and launched several projectiles of ice at the Summon Spirit. Undine didn't anticipate an attack from a second direction, and the moment it took her to deflect Mizore's attack gave Saren a change to strike. The swordsman jumped, spinning in midair and lunging with his sword, calling out, "Havoc Strike!"

The blade slashed the Summon Spirit, causing Undine to wince in pain. "Very good," she said. "I underestimated you. But now the real trial begins." The Summon Spirit melted, collapsing into a puddle of water, and pushed away from both of them, reforming into a solid state. She began gathering mana, and cried out, "Spread!" A pillar of water erupted under Mizore's feet, launching the snow fairy into the air. The Summon Spirit repeated the spell, targeting Saren, but the half-elf barely rolled out of the way.

Mizore backflipped in midair, launching herself from one of the pillars surrounding the altar. She launched another wave of ice projectiles at Undine, but the Summon Spirit cried out, "Aqua Edge!" Blades of water shattered the ice. Mizore landed on the ground, thrusting her palm onto the stone floor. Stalactites of ice erupted in a straight line, heading directly for Undine.

Undine backstepped to avoid the attack, and ran directly into Saren, who'd gotten around behind her. He swung the axe in his left hand around, sending out a wave of energy at Undine. It struck the Summon Spirit, damaging her, and then kept going, tearing a chunk out of one of the pillars. _So that's it… That must be the power known as Devastation, _he thought.

Mizore quickly took advantage of Undine's pain, creating ice clones of herself and sending them after the Summon Spirit. When the clones were in position, they began attacking on their own, no longer needing her direction. She returned to the fight herself, lashing out at the Summon Spirit with her ice claws. Undine blocked the strike with her sword, blasting the snow fairy backward with an Aqua Laser. Mizore staggered, but refused to back down. Her ice clones continued their onslaught, but Undine used a flowing motion to sweep them all aside with her sword as they approached.

Saren re-entered the fray, avoiding the ice clones as he went. He slashed at Undine, who was distracted trying to hold off a pair of ice clones. Both his weapons landed as he spun, striking the Summon Spirit in the back. He followed up with another upward slash, which produced a shockwave that, to Mizore, looked like a lion-shaped aura. Saren noted with satisfaction that his Hunting Beast technique seemed to bring Undine to her knees.

Mizore began to redirect her remaining ice clones, and they circled the Summon Spirit. Undine turned to strike at Saren again, hitting him with another Aqua Edge spell. The half-elf used his Guardian technique to block the blades of water, but the time it took the sphere to disperse was just enough for Undine to cast another spell. The water surrounding the altar began to rise up and flood toward them as she cried out, "Tidal Wave!"

The ice clones, Mizore, and Saren were all impacted by the flood of water. The ice clones began to melt away, but Saren managed to dig in and stand his ground, catching Mizore as she sped toward him in the deluge. "Are you alright?" he asked. Mizore nodded as the flood ended, and he set her back down. "Undine's beginning to weaken, but she's still got plenty of steam left. We've got to be careful."

As if to demonstrate his point, Undine used her form-changing ability to sweep toward them, springing up from the puddle of water to slash at Saren with her sword. The half-elf took the brunt of the attack to prevent the blade from reaching Mizore. The Summon Spirit began casting another spell, striking Mizore with another Spread attack. The snow fairy flew upward again, but managed to use her power to freeze the water into a solid pillar of ice.

"You're not the only one able to control water," Mizore said. "I also have domain over water, and ice. I can stabilize your attacks long enough to freeze them, giving me the edge."

Saren smirked at the snow fairy. _Impressive. With a chunk of ice that large, she can do all kinds of things, _he thought. Undine seemed somewhat amazed by the snow fairy's power as well. It was obvious she was trying to think of ways to adapt to this particular amount of power. She was spared the difficulty by Mizore jumping down from atop the pillar, launching another wave of projectiles from her arms at the Summon Spirit.

Undine form-shifted away from the attack, and began casting Spread spells again. Mizore took the attacks, freezing the water into ice each time. Only after the fourth one did Saren realize what was taking place. _She's actually doing a couple of things at once. The pillars of ice are lowering the temperature in here. The water will start to slow down, and Undine's movements will be less fluid. But Mizore can also create ice clones out of the pillars themselves. With pillars in enough places, she'll be able to attack from virtually everywhere at once._

Undine seemed to realize what was happening as well, because she tried to hack at one of the pillars with her sword. "That won't work," Mizore said. "My power with ice is a native talent, and can't be broken by weapons that easily."

The Summon Spirit waited until Mizore was on the ground again, then went after the snow fairy with her sword. "Shit," Saren said, moving toward the two of them. Mizore managed to hold off the Summon Spirit's attacks fairly well, but Undine's attacks were increasing in ferocity and desperation. She struck the snow fairy in the leg, and Mizore dropped to a knee. Undine brought her sword down, trying to hit the snow fairy again, but her blade was parried by Saren, and was twirled out of her hand.

When she found Saren's sword at her throat, Undine's eyes widened. "Your power is immense," she said. "I was not prepared for such tactics. Very well, I will lend you my power."

Saren nodded and resheathed his weapons. "First, I must heal Mizore," he said. He turned to the snow fairy, kneeling beside her. He placed a hand over her cut leg, and channeled his mana into it. "First Aid!" he shouted.

The mana flow closed her wound and she gasped in surprise. "That… That feels a lot better, Saren. Thank you," she said.

He helped her to her feet and turned back to Undine. The Summon Spirit nodded to him and said, "You fight valiantly, yet also have the compassion of a healer. State your vow."

Saren returned the nod and said, "For the sake of protecting all worlds, all peoples, and to protect those important to me, I, Saren Tyndall, ask thee to lend me thy power."

Undine considered his words, and finally said, "Very well, pact-maker. You shall have my power." She held out her hand, and a small ball of mana formed over her palm. It took shape, and a silver ring with a teal stone dropped into her palm. Handing it to Saren, she said, "This is a symbol of our pact. May it aid you on your journey. Now I must rest. Our battle pushed me to limits I'd not previously encountered. Until we meet again, pact-maker."

She disappeared, and Saren heard someone clapping behind him. He and Mizore turned to see Adrian standing at the entrance to the altar chamber, smiling. "Well done, Saren. I haven't seen a vow battle that impressive or intense since I fought Origin."

"Thanks," Saren said. "Mizore helped a lot, though. I doubt I could've done so well without her."

Adrian smiled at the snow fairy. "You two are quite a team," he said. "I'm sure you'll be able to win. It's just a matter now of repairing the control unit and restoring the barrier. Fortunately, that won't be long in coming, since I have what I was searching for." He pulled a small, red crystal from his pocket, similar to the Exspheres he and Saren wore.

"Good," Saren said. "Now all we have to do is bind that to the unit. Then it's just a matter of defeating Kuyou and restoring the barrier."

"You make it sound easy," Mizore said, smirking.

"It's really not," the half-elf answered. "It's already been three months since we fought Kuyou the last time. We've gotten stronger, but he's had time to become stronger as well. This battle is going to strain us in every sense. I just hope we're ready."


	58. Chapter 58

**[58]**

The three of them emerged from the cavern and were immediately met with looks of astonishment from the tourists at the island. As they walked toward the docks, people began whispering about them. As they approached the ferry, the dockworkers seemed to snap to attention.

"Highness!" one of them said. "We had no idea you'd come to the island. Is everything alright?"

_Highness?_ Mizore thought, looking around. _Who is he talking to?_

Adrian nodded. "Everything is fine. I had to come here to see to the Water Temple," he said.

"I see. Pardon my rudeness, but, is she the new Chosen? I wasn't informed a new one had been selected," the ferryman said.

"One hasn't been," Adrian answered. "No, these two are… students. From the Elemental Research Laboratory in Meltokio."

"Oh, I see," the ferryman said. "But why are they with you? Surely there was someone better suited to escorting students."

"Their instructor recommended them to me, insisting I observe their elemental prowess myself," Adrian answered. "Next, we'll be heading to Flanoir."

"Yes, Highness. Of course," the ferryman said, bowing.

The three of them boarded the ferry, and the ship immediately left. Mizore's head was swimming, but not because of seasickness. She was trying to sort everything out based on what she'd just heard.

_The ferryman called Adrian "Highness". That means that Adrian's royalty here… And Saren mentioned the Dynast-King travels from Aselia to Earth… Could Adrian be the Dynast-King? That would mean that Saren's a prince… And he did say his Exsphere came from the royal family…_

"Hey, Mizore. Everything alright?" Saren asked. "You look like something's worrying you."

Mizore shook her head. "No, I'm fine. Just a little tired from the fight with Undine, I guess," she lied. Saren regarded her with a look of flat disbelief, and she sighed. "Alright, look. I didn't realize your dad was royalty. It was a bit of a shock, to be honest. It means you're a prince, and I'm not sure why you kept it from me."

Saren frowned. "I… didn't think it was that important at the time," he said. "I'm sorry I kept it from you. I guess I just forgot."

"_Forgot" you're a prince…? Right,_ the snow fairy thought. "Well, what does this mean? For us, I mean."

Saren gave her a confused look. "Why would it mean anything for us?" he asked.

"Well, I mean… you're a prince," she answered. "Don't you have to marry a princess? Isn't that how it works?"

The half-elf snorted with amusement and rolled his eyes. "No way," he said. "That might be how it works on Earth, but not here. The only princess left is my sister. All the other royal families were killed about two and a half years ago, from your perspective. Besides, I know I've mentioned this before; I detest the idea of arranged marriages."

"Saren comes by his ideals honestly. By marrying who we want, rather than who is chosen for us, we allow for the possibility of stronger family ties, which is more important than the purity of blood any day," Adrian said. "Which, I suppose, is ironic, given that my wife and I are both orphans."

"Oh, I didn't know that… I'm sorry…" Mizore said. "I mean, I knew about Mrs. Tyndall's parents, but not yours…"

Adrian nodded. "My parents were… they were murdered by demons when my sister and I were young. I suppose that's something we have in common."

Mizore glanced down at the deck of the ship and said, "Y-yes, Your Majesty…"

Adrian winced and held up a hand. "Please, don't call me anything like that. My name is Adrian. Just because I'm the Dynast-King, it doesn't change who I was born as."

"Dad doesn't care much for titles," Saren explained. "Ranks are one thing, because they're something you work hard to earn. But he feels that some titles are just handed out. I really don't care for those either, which is another part of why I never mentioned it."

Mizore nodded. "It makes sense," she said. _Although I wish you'd told me this sooner…_ "I'm sorry. This is a lot to process…"

"I know," Saren said. "And I'm sorry. It wasn't something I thought you needed to know. Besides, I told you from the start there were things I probably wouldn't tell you. When we talked in Flanoir, I guess I just forgot to mention it."

"It's fine," Mizore said, smiling as she remembered that night. "I learned something much more important, anyway."

"So the two of you have already been to Flanoir?" Adrian asked. "Did you go to the balcony in front of the cathedral at night?"

Saren mock-glared at Adrian. "Yes, old man, we did. Even played in the snow with the other children," he said.

"Did you wear your heavy coat? You know how your mother worries," Adrian said. "At least, I think she will."

Saren shook his head and smiled. Mizore sat quietly, uncomfortably, watching the two of them. After a few minutes, the ferry docked at the mainland, and the three of them disembarked.

"What are you doing to do now, Saren?" Adrian asked.

"Once we restore the controller and rebuild the barrier, we'll have to deal with Kuyou," Saren said.

"It may be better to deal with your enemy first," Adrian said. "Otherwise, he can interfere in your other efforts. Here, I'll leave these in your hands."

Adrian handed his future son the control unit and the Cruxis Crystal, and Saren immediately pocketed them. "Thank you," Saren said. "I apologize again for bothering you in this time frame."

Adrian waved it away. "Not a problem. The cause is just. Promise me one thing, though, both of you."

"Sir…?" Mizore asked, looking up.

"Take care of one another. Watch out for each other," Adrian said. "Makoto asked me to pass that along to you."

"We will," Saren answered, nodding. Adrian opened the Otherworldly Gate and was gone. Saren turned to Mizore, and once again noticed a somber expression on her face. "What's wrong?"

"You're lucky, you know," she said. "You have a rare opportunity to see your parents. And you have such a good relationship with them."

"You do as well, you know," Saren replied. "I saw that while we were in their village."

The snow fairy shook her head. "It wasn't always like that," she said. "When I went away to the Academy, when I met Tsukune, my mother and I fought all the time. She wanted me to use my powers to make him mine, but that's not how I wanted it. I wanted a genuine relationship. And then the thing with Alucard… she never even tried to come for me, even though my friends did. Tsukune even pretended to be a girl to help rescue me."

Saren tried not to laugh at the mental image of Tsukune in a dress. Keeping a straight face, he said, "I'm sure he was very graceful. But, Mizore, you know your mother gave your friends everything they'd need to save you. She did help out, in her own way. And never forget her last words to you. She called you her beloved daughter, and told you she'd always been proud of you. I think most of those fights you had were just a façade."

"I suppose you're right…" Mizore said. "I just miss them… Even now, it still hurts… I know you want me to be strong, so I try to hide it, but…"

He silenced her with a finger to her lips, which he soon replaced with his own. When the kiss broke, he said, "You don't have to fake anything for me. I know how strong you are. And I know that no one with a heart could bear that pain silently for too long. It's okay to let it out if you need to. I'm right here."

And so she did. In a moment that felt like a dam exploding, she began to weep in the half-elf's arms, sinking to her knees as he lowered her gently to the ground. All the while, he refused to let her go, even after she'd cried herself to sleep.


	59. Chapter 59

**[59]**

When Mizore and Saren returned to Earth, they were met with pandemonium. Humans were screaming all around them, running in every direction. "What's happened?" Mizore asked.

"You can't feel that?" Saren asked. "There's a ton of monster energy right here. They've started their attack."

"We have to find the others!" Mizore shouted over the din. Saren took her hand and led her through the chaotic street, making sure not to let go of her despite the crowd pushing against them. Finally, when the crowd had thinned, they began to take stock of their surroundings.

The entire district had been plunged into darkness. Traffic was at a standstill, and many people had abandoned their cars, choosing instead to flee on foot. Storefronts had been smashed open, with some of the more wretched examples of humanity opting to make off with whatever loot they could carry.

"This is ridiculous," Mizore said. "Who could think of trying to steal things at a time like this?"

"The world is going to hell, as these people see it," Saren said. "Humans have always seemed to think that whoever dies with the most toys wins."

Mizore caught sight of movement down the street. "Saren, look! A group of hybrid monsters have some humans trapped," she said.

Saren nodded and led her in the direction she'd indicated. They came to a run-down market stall. The monsters she'd seen were indeed hybrids, but their energy was a lot lower than that of Kiria. He could hear them taunting the humans as he approached.

"C'mon, let's have a little fun."

"That one looks tasty. I call dibs on her."

"You can have her. She's too stringy for me."

The half-elf prepared an Aqua Edge spell, striking the monsters in the back. "They're all off the menu," he said as they turned around.

"Look, a couple more have decided to volunteer themselves for our meal."

"The purple-haired girl's kinda cute. Bet she'll be fun to hang around with."

Mizore manifested her ice claws, which took both the monsters and the trapped humans by surprise. "Sorry, guys. I'm out of your league," she said.

Saren looked past the monsters at the humans. "All you of get out of here. Get somewhere safe," he said. "We'll take care of these lowlifes."

The humans stared at them in disbelief, but inched toward a back door and escaped. Saren drew his weapons and smirked at the monsters. "So. You said you wanted to have fun?" he said.

The monsters glanced at one another nervously. Clearly they hadn't expected any resistance from humans, but having an apparent human working together with a monster against them was not in their plans. "Maybe we oughta get outta here."

"Probably a good idea," Saren said coldly. "Don't come back to the human world."

The monsters fled, and Saren and Mizore stood down. "This is a dangerous situation," the half-elf said. "I have no idea how all these monsters got through to this side…"

"Kokoa mentioned she was tracking groups of them. They had to have been getting ready for this," Mizore said. "We shouldn't have spent the night in Aselia…"

Saren shook his head. "Don't blame yourself," he said. "We both needed to rest from forming the pact with Undine. Don't worry about it."

Mizore nodded. "Alright. We should try looking for the others. I just have no idea where to start."

Saren closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The city was flooded with monster auras, but he forced himself to concentrate, and pick out familiar ones. He could feel a few of them nearby, but he couldn't pinpoint them. "They're close. Don't have any way to find them, or time to start looking," he said. "We'll have to bring them to us."

"How do we do that?" Mizore asked.

"The Rheaird," Saren answered. "Gin, San, and Kurumu will recognize it immediately, and even if Ruby and Yukari are separated from them, they'll still want to investigate anything that looks out of place."

"But won't we get in trouble for that?" she asked.

Saren shook his head. "The whole city's in chaos right now. This was never supposed to happen. At this point, my Rheaird would be like tossing a match into a burning building."

"Alright," Mizore said. "If you're sure." The two of them left the stall, trying to find an open enough area where Saren could deploy the Rheaird. They took flight moments later, soaring over the buildings and streets. No matter where they looked, it was the same story; humans running away from monsters, and the monsters attacking the weaker humans. Some police forces had arrived to try to restore order, but found themselves horribly outmatched.

"Oh, Saren…" Mizore said. "It's horrible… How could they do this…"

"They've been oppressed and forced to live in hiding for far too long," the half-elf replied. "The half-elves would likely have done the same on Aselia, had there not been a bigger threat. The devastation they could have caused would have been immense."

Mizore looked down at the streets. "It's heartbreaking… none of those people down there deserve this…"

"No, they don't," Saren said. "That's why we have to restore the barrier. We have to stop this."

"There you two are!" Kurumu said, flying up to meet them. "Where have you been? All hell's broken loose over here!"

"We had to go to Aselia for something," Saren said. "We've got it taken care of, though. We should find the others and track down Kuyou. We have to end this."

Kurumu nodded. "They're nearby. We were about to go after him ourselves if we couldn't find you. Come on," she said. The succubus led them toward the center of the city, and they spotted the rest of their friends on the rooftop of a building.

"'Bout time you guys showed up!" Gin said as they landed. "We were beginning to wonder if you'd been taken out when the party started."

"We're fine," Saren said. "Is everyone ready to go?"

"Yeah. San and I are gonna stay here and do what we planned originally," Gin said. "Talk some of these monsters into maybe backin' off the humans a little bit."

"The rest of us are with you," Ruby said. "As soon as we know where Kuyou is, we can go after him."

"He's close," Saren said. "I can feel a wellspring of demonic energy. It's drowning out most of the other monster energy in the area."

"Then let's go," Yukari said. "We can't waste much more time."

Ruby and Kurumu's wings sprouted as Saren and Mizore lifted off on the Rheaird once again. Gin and San headed to the other side of the building, going over the edge and into the battle-torn streets below. The group took off, flying directly into the center of the storm.


	60. Chapter 60

**[60]**

It wasn't long before they realized exactly how much trouble they were in. Finding Kuyou's hideaway had been simple enough. The problem now was getting in. The half-elf didn't see any sort of switch or button to open the entrance. Evidently, they wouldn't enter unless someone on the inside decided they wanted them to.

"Dammit," Saren said, hammering at the door with his axe. The weapon bounced off ineffectively. "Think we could freeze it and then break it down?"

Mizore raised a hand toward it, but her power only served to make the door hotter, and she pulled away in reflex. "No, it's too hot… I'm sorry…"

"There has to be some way in," the half-elf muttered. "He can't stay cooped up in there forever. Eventually he'll want to come out and see the destruction he's caused." He tried hammering the door again, to no avail. He looked down at his left hand and frowned. _If I equipped the Cruxis Crystal, it might give me a strength boost. But if it's not fully evolved, then…_

"No choice," he said. He reached into the pocket where he'd hidden the control unit and the Cruxis Crystal, and fished the small crystal out. Pulling off his glove, he removed the Exsphere, replacing it with the Cruxis Crystal, and returned the Exsphere to his pocket.

"Saren, what're you-?" Mizore began.

"The Cruxis Crystal will amplify my strength further, as long as it's fully formed," the half-elf answered. "If I don't make it out of this alive, I want you to take the crystal from me and the control unit from my pocket."

"Don't talk like that," Mizore said, frowning. "We're all going to come back."

Saren smiled weakly at her. "I hope so. Here goes nothing," he said, rearing his arm back to punch the doorway.

"It's no good. The door's sealed tight. I doubt even Yukari and I could…" Ruby began. Saren turned to look at her, but her eyes were wide with shock, as were the eyes of the others. They seemed frozen in a moment of sheer terror, and began to fade away.

"Shit… wait!" Saren shouted, reaching for Mizore's hand. His hand passed through it, and she disappeared completely, followed almost immediately by the others. "Dammit!" He slammed his fist backward against the door, which slowly opened. He turned toward it, glaring. _So, you want me to face you on my own? _the half-elf thought. _It's almost certainly a trap, but I don't have any choice. I know they're in there._

He took a deep breath and strode through the doorway, which closed behind him. Saren immediately looked around, and only noticed a hallway leading into darkness. Many doors stood on either side of the hall, but when Saren tried one, it wouldn't budge. _I can't sit here and waste time forcing every door open looking for them. Have to go deeper in._

He began running down the hallway, keeping his steps as light as possible in case he needed to dodge something or come to a sudden stop. No obstacles presented themselves, though, and at the end of the hallway, he stopped, finding himself before a large, metal door. The half-elf pushed on it, and it swung open. There was nothing but darkness inside. He took a hesitant step forward, and felt himself begin to plummet. He tried to reach for the ledge, and barely caught it. _Dammit…_ he thought. _Even with this I'm slipping. It feels like something's pulling me downward._

He looked down and strained his eyes, but still couldn't see anything aside from a void. _Don't have much of a choice. I'm going to fall either way._ He let go of his hold on the ledge, and dropped a few meters to the ground, rolling as he landed to minimize injury.

He smelled sulfur near him, and his head snapped up as fires burned into existence around him. Before him, each of his friends stood, glaring at him, prepared to attack. He pushed himself up to a knee, as he looked at all of them. "You're all okay?" he asked. "I was worried."

"Why did you come here?" Ruby asked. Her voice didn't sound quite right. "You have no place among monsters."

"What are you talking about?" Saren asked. "We've been traveling together for months. You never seemed to have a problem before."

"You're not one of us. You don't belong with us," Yukari said. Her voice had been similarly altered.

"It's disgusting to think that we were around a human for as long as we were," Kurumu said, spitting at the floor.

"I can't believe I fell in love with you," Mizore said. "You should never have come near us."

Saren's eyes narrowed. "Something's not right here," he said. "Kuyou, where are you hiding, coward?"

"Kuyou's not here," Kurumu said. "There's just us, and you. Soon, even you won't be here."

"Shut up," Saren snapped. "I know you're not real. None of you are. You should know better than to call me human. You should know better than to act like this."

Kurumu smiled wickedly, and began to laugh. The four of them slowly began to fade away, and were replaced by the man who had started this entire disaster. Kuyou stopped laughing and merely smiled at Saren. "Very good. You've managed to see through my illusion far sooner than anyone else would have. It's a shame you're the sharpest of your group. No one else would be able to break the spell I placed on them. Well, except for that succubus. But I have my own method of dealing with her, someone whose talents for illusion exceed even my own. She'll be out of the way for a long, long time."

Saren drew his weapons, glaring at the fox demon. "You're going to be dead long before that happens," he said. "Then I'll set my friends free and we'll save the human world."

"No you won't," Kuyou said. "The human world is doomed, and you along with it. You pathetic human, you and your inferior monster friends are all going to burn. Maybe I'll start with the little snow fairy who escaped me before…"

Saren's grip on his weapons tightened, and he flung himself at the fox demon. Kuyou vanished instantly, and reappeared beside the half-elf. "Sorry, I wasn't standing there."

Saren swung his axe to the side, but it passed through the demon again. "Dammit!" he said. "Stand in one place and fight like a man!"

"Oh, but I'm not a man," Kuyou said. "I am much, much more than a man." His tails began to burn to life behind him. Saren counted six as they appeared, but his eyes widened in shock as a seventh appeared. "As you can see, I've gotten stronger since we last met."

The half-elf set his jaw and replied, "You're not the only one whose gotten stronger, Kuyou. My powers now are far above where they were. It's about time I use them for the purpose I strove for."

"Tell me," Kuyou said. "Tell me about your powers. About your… Exsphere, was it?"

_How did he know about that?_ Saren thought, his eyes wide.

"I know all about your special gem," Kuyou said. "I know about the powers it gives you, the way it amplifies your strength. I saw the fight you had with Kiria."

Saren's eyes narrowed again. "Then you should know this. My Exsphere evolved after that battle," he lied. "The amplification it grants me is far above what it was before. Far above anything you can throw at me."

"It might have been far above what my minions could do to you," Kuyou said. "But you haven't seen a fraction of my power so far."

"You're right," Saren said. "Although, I will admit. Fighting Deshi was tough. I had to have help from Ruby and Yukari. Without them, I would've been sunk. I don't have fire magic, so I was useless against a jiang-shi."

"And now not even they are here to save you," Kuyou said after a moment. "How sad. Stripped of all your little monster friends, you're quite alone. Quite… vulnerable."

"You're right," Saren said. "But I still have to try. For their sake, and for the sake of all seven billion humans outside right now. Even if it costs me my life, I will protect them all." He readied his weapons, looking the fox demon in the eye, and began his charge.


	61. Chapter 61

**[61]**

_What's going on here…? Where am I…? _Mizore thought. She cracked her eyes open, and faintly saw an outline of a castle. She opened her eyes fully, and the picture became clearer. She knew this place. It was Youkai Academy. She was back at school. _What am I doing here…? _

She managed to push herself to her knees, but felt dizzy doing so. "Easy," a voice said. "Don't push yourself too hard." The snow fairy knew who had to be there with her, and turned around, smiling up at Saren.

"I'm alright," she said. "What happened? The last thing I remember, we were in Tokyo, and there were monsters attacking everywhere."

"Oh, that," Saren said. "That's nothing. It's not going to be a problem. We're back here at the Academy. We're safe now."

"But what about the others?" Mizore asked. "What about Kurumu and the others, your parents and sister?"

Saren shook his head. "They can hold their own," he said. "They'll be fine. All we have to do is put the control unit back and this will all be over."

"The unit… Did your father fix it or something while I was out?" she asked.

"Huh? Why would he have to do that?" Saren asked. "I can do it on my own. I've got the power I need now."

Mizore frowned. "Is something wrong? You're not usually this carefree," she said. "You act like you're not worried at all about our friends or your family."

"I'm not," he said. "I can fix the barrier and then everything will be fine. Nobody will bother us in here."

"What do you mean in here?" Mizore asked.

"The Academy. I can seal it off from the rest of the world. We'll be the only ones here."

"Saren, no," she said. "This isn't what we planned. This isn't right."

"What's wrong, Mizore?" he asked. "You wanted to be alone with me, right? You wanted to have my children. It's what you've been thinking about for months."

"Yes, but… we can't just abandon everyone because of my wishes," she said. "It's not right."

"Why does it matter? We'll have beautiful children. And they'll be strong. Just think of it," Saren said. "Because of your power, and the power I have now that my Exsphere evolved, they'll be incredible."

"I don't doubt that, but…" Mizore stopped, replaying what Saren just said in her mind. "What did you say?"

"About what?" Saren asked. "Our babies being beautiful? They will be."

"No, about your Exsphere," Mizore said. "What did you say about your Exsphere?"

"It evolved," Saren said. "Don't you remember?"

Mizore shook her head. "No, I don't. I'd remember something like that happening," she said. _It never evolved… I didn't even know it was supposed to… For as much as he kept secret, surely he would've at least mentioned that…_

"It did," Saren said. "It's giving me more power now that it ever did before."

"It didn't," Mizore said. "I'm sure of it. You're lying."

"I'm not-"

"You are lying. You're lying to me about everything," she said. "You're not Saren… Saren would never dream of leaving our friends behind and holing up somewhere to hide… And he would never think about having children while the whole world was in danger… Who are you?"

Saren smiled. "Mizore, my dear," he said. "It's me, Saren. I promise you, I'm real."

"You're not!" she shouted, flinging her arm. Ice bullets flew from her claws toward the half-elf. He dodged, but too slowly. The bullets pierced his arm, and when he rolled, he came up clutching it. "You're not Saren! Saren would never do half the things you've talked about!"

The half-elf gave her a dark look. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked.

"Stopping you, whoever you are," Mizore said, glaring at him. "The real Saren would never think of doing these things. And he would never be too slow to dodge my attacks. He would've gotten through it and found a way to neutralize an opponent by now."

Saren smirked. "So. You're not as stupid as I thought," he said. "It's not going to help you, though. It's over for you." His body began to swell, as if he were being pumped full of air, and then it exploded, revealing another creature underneath, a doppleganger. "You won't walk away from this alive."

Mizore narrowed her eyes. "I thought so," she said. "I should've known better than to think you could impersonate him. Your monster energy is far too weak."

"So I might not be as strong as that human scum," the doppleganger said. "But I'm more than enough of a match for you. I've heard about how weak you are from another of my kind you beat a few years ago."

"Then you don't know anything about me," Mizore replied. She flicked her eyes upward slightly, and watched as a set of ice claws pierced the doppleganger from behind. He stood there, frozen in shock at the mortal injury, and she slowly walked toward him.

"Over the past two years, I've gotten stronger," the snow fairy said, "both physically and emotionally. I've met an incredible man, whom I love more than anything else on Earth. He is the bravest, kindest, most caring man I've ever met. You're not fit to lick his shoes, let alone wear his face."

The doppleganger opened his mouth, trying to make a retort, but couldn't muster any words. He could only stare at her, wide-eyed with horror. She nodded to something behind him, and he felt the claws leave his body as he collapsed to the ground. He looked up and saw two snow fairies, and then one melted away and disappeared.

As her ice clone vanished, Mizore looked down at him and said, "One thing you should never forget about me, is that no matter how warm Saren makes my heart, at my core I'm always colder than ice."

The world began to fade to black around them as the doppleganger's life ran out. Mizore found herself standing in a dark chamber, with only a small door standing shut at the far end. She walked to it and, finding it locked, formed a large stalactite of ice to shatter it.

The snow fairy climbed out through the hole in the door and looked both ways down a hallway. She closed her eyes and tried to find Saren's power, something she'd been training herself to do for months. Finally, she located it, and ran down the right side of the hallway, chasing after the man, the _true_ man, that she loved with all her being.


	62. Chapter 62

**[62]**

The first thing Ruby saw when she opened her eyes was a sunflower. She took a deep breath, letting fresh air fill her nostrils as she sat up. When she did, she looked around and gasped in surprise. She was surrounded by sunflowers; they spread over the entire hilltop where she lay. _This is… This is Witch's Knoll!_ she realized. She heard movement to her left, looked in that direction.

"Whoa… What happened…?" a younger girl's voice said. Yukari sat up, holding her head. "Huh? Hey, Ruby, what're we doing in Witch's Knoll?"

"I was just about to ask the same thing," the older witch answered. "The last thing I remember was going with Saren to fight Kuyou."

"Yeah, wasn't he trying to get through some door?" Yukari asked. "Or something like that. I can't… I can't concentrate well enough to remember…"

"I'm not sure, Yukari…" Ruby said, rubbing her forehead. "I can't… I can't seem to remember anything else…"

The two of them heard a rustling sound and looked up. They saw a brown-haired boy approaching, and tried to get up. "Hey, you two! Are you alright?" he asked, trudging up the hill toward them.

"Saren!" Ruby said. "You're alright! We were worried about you."

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said. "How about you two?"

"We're okay," Yukari said. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure," Saren said, frowning. "One minute, we were trying to get through the barrier, and the next we ended up here."

"Have you seen any of the others?" Yukari asked. "Kurumu, or Mizore?"

Saren shook his head. "No, I can't even sense them nearby."

"This isn't good," Ruby said. "We should try to get back to where they were, and see if we can find them."

"I… I don't know if we can," he said. "Look."

He pointed toward the city, and Ruby turned around. She gasped, frozen in fear at what she saw. The city's skyline had been changed, drastically. Where skyscrapers had once been, now stood an enormous castle with flaming towers.

"What happened?" Yukari asked, surprised.

"I guess… I guess we were too late," Saren said.

"What do you mean too late?" Ruby asked. "Saren, what happened?"

"We didn't make it in time. Kuyou started taking over. Tokyo's not the same anymore. And even now, the same thing is happening all over the Earth," he answered. "We were too slow…"

"But that can't be," Yukari said. "We did everything we could. And you and Mizore went to get something from your home."

"But it took us too long," Saren said. "We were gone too long."

Ruby shook her head. "No, that's not right. You weren't gone that long at all."

"It was too long," Saren said. "We didn't go fast enough. We weren't strong enough."

"That's not true," Ruby said, reaching for the half-elf's hand. "You're incredibly strong. You always have been. Think about all the enemies we've faced, and how you've saved us all."

"I had help," Saren said. "I couldn't have done anything without you all. Like when we fought Deshi… I wouldn't have made it without you two. You helped me beat her."

Ruby's eyes widened, and she glanced at Yukari. The younger girl nodded, and brandished her wand at Saren. Ruby backed off quickly, pulled her book free and opened it, pulling out a single black feather. "Who are you?" she asked. "We know you're not Saren."

"What're you talking about, Ruby? Of course I'm Saren," he answered, frowning.

"You're not," she said. "Saren defeated Deshi entirely on his own. Yukari and I were nowhere near the rest of them at the time. He killed Deshi without any help."

Saren swore. "So… he lied… He lied to master Kuyou," he said. "No matter, though. I'm still more than a match for the two of you."

There was a large burst of smoke that blinded the two witches. When they could finally see again, the man that stood before them was different. He had silvery hair and a beard that reached down to his chest, and was clad in a dark red cloak and pointed hat. "So this is your true form," Ruby said. "You're a warlock."

"Indeed I am," the old man said. "My transformation magic was perfect in every way, too. The only thing… The only thing that I didn't plan on was that miserable human lying to my master."

"Saren's a brilliant strategist," Yukari said. "If he had to tell a lie, it must've been because he knew something like this would happen."

"It doesn't matter," the warlock said. "He's facing off against the master on his own. There's no way he can win."

"He will win," Ruby said. "With or without us, he'll beat Kuyou. If for no other reason than because he has to. That will be enough for him."

"A shame the two of you won't be there to witness it," the warlock replied. He brandished his own wand, a rod made of birch, and immediately the sunflowers morphed into thick vines, which ensnared the two witches. Yukari's arms snapped to her sides as she was lifted into the air.

Ruby was rendered helpless as her book was knocked from her hands, and each of her limbs were grasped by a separate vine. A fifth vine wrapped itself around her throat, and she started struggling to breathe. She could only watch as Yukari was slowly tortured by the vines. The warlock began laughing as they lost consciousness.

As darkness crept into the corners of her vision, Ruby vaguely sensed a strong power very close to them. She tried to move, looking for the source of it, but her body refused to cooperate. Finally, a burst of blinding light enveloped the warlock, exploding and damaging him.

With his concentration broken, the vines went dead, releasing both of the witches. Ruby struggled to look up, but only saw the warlock using his staff to block attacks that were being launched at him. The elder wizard was losing steam, though, and finally, one of the attacks got through.

Finally, a large rock seemed to fall from the sky, striking the ground right underneath the warlock and causing a large explosion. When the dust settled, the warlock was nowhere to be seen.

Ruby managed to look up, and saw the knoll fading to black around her. _This place was… an illusion… but who…?_ She saw a shadow standing over her, and saw a girl's gloved hand reaching for her. She tried to raise her arm to take the girl's hand, but her body was still weak from being strangled by the vines. All she could do was watch helplessly before her vision faded altogether.


	63. Chapter 63

**[63]**

"Kurumu…? Hey, Kurumu, are you awake?" the voice asked.

The succubus felt something gently shoving her shoulder, and she cracked her eyes open ever so slightly. _That voice is familiar… but it can't be… he was nowhere near us…_ She finally opened her eyes fully, and was greeted by the sight of a silver-and-black-haired man with red eyes. The first time she'd ever seen him, both his hair and his eyes were brown, but there was no denying that this was still her beloved Tsukune Aono.

"Tsukune…!" she said. He put a finger to her lips, stopping her from talking.

"Not too loud," he said. "There are still plenty of monsters around. We have to get somewhere safe…"

"Tsukune…" Kurumu whispered. "What are you doing here…?"

"I had to come and find you. When you all disappeared, I feared the worst. You were the only one I could find," Tsukune replied. "I don't know where any of the others have gone…"

"We have to find them…" Kurumu said, trying to get up.

"No, wait," the vampire whispered urgently, scrambling to keep her on the ground. Kurumu gasped and looked up at him, feeling her cheeks grow warm.

"Tsukune, what are you…?"

"Kurumu, we have to lay low for right now. It's way too dangerous. There are too many monsters, even for me," Tsukune answered. "We can hide out over here…"

He took her hand and led her to an abandoned inn, closing the door behind them as he leaned against the door. "We should be safe in here," he said.

Kurumu leaned against him, her eyes wide with shock as he held her against him with an arm. "Tsukune, wait… What are we doing? We should be out there helping save them. Humans are dying out there… And besides, what about Moka…?"

"Moka isn't important to me anymore," Tsukune said. "The only one I care about now is you, Kurumu. You're the only one who matters. I have to keep you safe."

Kurumu frowned. "Tsukune, that's… that's not right. You can't just turn your back on her like that…"

"She turned her back on me first… it's her fault I'm even like this, remember?" Tsukune said. "Giving me her blood, and I never even asked for it. She was the one who caused me to transform like this…"

"No, Tsukune, that's…" Kurumu began. But something told her that what he was saying made sense. Tsukune had always tried to protect them on his own, and usually Moka had been the one to stop whatever the threat was at the time. So why did she have to give Tsukune her blood? Didn't that end up leading to more danger in the end? Since Moka was a Shinso, and she forced Tsukune to absorb her blood, he became one as well. That Shinso blood had almost gotten them all killed, too, since it had awakened…

"Listen, Kurumu," Tsukune said. "I made a mistake. It seems like a lifetime ago, but I made a mistake choosing Moka over you. I've had years to think about it, and I'm sorry."

"Tsukune, what are you…?"

"Kurumu, if I'd known then what I know now, I would've chosen you. It would always have been you," Tsukune said. "You were selfless. You live only for love, to find your destined one. Can you forgive me?"

Kurumu could barely believe what she was hearing. Tsukune had left Moka behind, and had chosen her? After all these years, it was like a dream come true. And she wanted to. _Oh, man, do I ever want to…_ She looked into his eyes, stood up on tiptoe, bringing her face closer to his…

Their lips were barely a hair's breadth apart when she stopped. "No, Tsukune… this isn't right," she said. "I can't do that…"

Tsukune wrapped his other arm around her, holding her closer. "It's okay, Kurumu. It's fine, I promise," he said. "I want this, Kurumu. Make me your slave, your lover, your destined one. Whatever you want."

Kurumu forced herself to look away from him, to try to clear her head. _This is so wrong! There's no way he'd do this… not to Moka, not to anyone!_ "Please, let me go…" she whispered, her voice cracking. _This is insane! He's giving me everything I ever wanted, all on a silver platter, and I'm turning him down. I must be crazy…_

"But Kurumu," he said, not letting go of her. "I thought this was what you wanted?"

"What I want is to go and find our friends. We have a job to do…" Kurumu said. "Saren would say that… it's our duty to finish what we started…"

"Saren's not here right now," Tsukune said. "And even if we do find him, what then? We've all fought Kuyou before. It almost cost us our lives. He's so much stronger now… What if we go up against him, just to die? Wouldn't you rather die happy, beside the man you love, rather than die alone, next to a man who cares nothing for you, but instead loves your biggest rival?"

Kurumu frowned. "That's not… It's not like…" she muttered. Still, what he was saying held some allure for her. Saren had never given her a second look; he'd been immune to her charm from the beginning. But Tsukune… she had stopped using her charm on him, and the two of them had only grown closer… "Oh, Tsukune…"

She sighed as she leaned against him, looking up into his crimson eyes. "Yes, Kurumu… let me give myself to you… in a way I never could before," Tsukune said.

She sighed and laid her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. She almost became lost in the moment, in the feeling, but something was wrong. Something about this was totally off. She started to pay a little more attention, and realized Tsukune's heartbeat was wrong. She'd heard it hundreds of times before, how could she mistake it?

She felt his grip slacken and pushed away from him, hard. Her wings sprouted instantly, her fingernails instantly growing to many times their original length. "Stay away from me!" she shouted.

Tsukune got his feet underneath him properly, giving Kurumu a puzzled look. "What's wrong, Kurumu? Isn't this what you wanted? To make me yours, now and forever?" he asked.

"I want Tsukune," she snapped. "The real Tsukune, not some fake. Not some illusion."

"How do you know…?"

"Tsukune would never turn his back on Moka. I learned that the hard way, after three long years of trying to make him mine," the succubus answered. "He would never surrender himself to me like this. And he'd never, ever turn his back on the human world. You're just a cheap knockoff that looks like him. You don't even have the same heart."

"Then tell me, Kurumu. If I'm not Tsukune, who am I?" he asked.

"I don't know… your sweet-talking makes me think you're a Siren," Kurumu said. "But the fact that I'm feeling so much sexual energy from you… That makes me think you're an incubus. I would say succubus, but something pointed out to me that you were a man, if you catch my drift."

Tsukune smiled. "So, you're smarter than I gave you credit for. How long have you been able to tell?"

"Not long," Kurumu said. "I knew something had to be wrong, though. I'm usually very good with seeing through illusions and breaking them. I've been able to break Kuyou's before. But you've got more of a native talent. That can only come with being a succubus, or else our male counterpart, an incubus."

"You're half-right," the fake Tsukune said. "About both parts. I'm half-siren, and half-incubus." He began to undo the illusion magic he'd woven together, and his true form emerged. His hair and eyes were strikingly similar to Tsukune's, or rather, to how Tsukune's had been when Kurumu first met him. But there was a difference in the brown eyes. They'd seen far more years than the rest of his face let on.

"Well, congratulations, Kurumu. You've broken my illusion," he said. "Too bad it's the last thing you're going to do."


	64. Chapter 64

**[64]**

When Mizore finally found Saren and Kuyou, the two of them were already locked in combat. The half-elf rolled through one of Kuyou's fire attacks almost effortlessly, coming back up on his feet and returning it with a water spell of his own. The fire demon backstepped away from it, and pulsed his demonic aura out at once, causing a wall of flame to rush toward Saren.

Without a regard for her own safety, Mizore leapt from the edge of the hallway, creating a slide of ice to control her descent. She launched several projectiles of ice at the fox demon, distracting him while Saren regrouped. The fox demon glared up at her, opening his mouth and shooting a stream of flames from it. The snow fairy ducked under the jet of fire, and dropped over the side of her ice chute, landing at Saren's side as the half-elf launched his next spell.

"Freeze Lancer!" he shouted.

"Dragon Hail Bullets!" Mizore cried, raising her arm again. Hundreds of small icy spikes fired at Kuyou, but the demon raised a wall of fire to protect himself.

"I'm glad you're alright, Mizore. Any idea about the others?" Saren asked.

Mizore shook her head. "No, I haven't seen them. Has Kuyou gotten more powerful?"

"Eight tails," Saren confirmed. "Which is a real pain in the ass."

"We can beat him, Saren," Mizore said. "I know we can. We just have to hold out for the others."

Saren smiled at her and nodded. He sensed another wave of fire heading toward them, though, and cried out, "Guardian!" Mizore raised a wall of ice at the same time, sloping it upward to the flames soared over her head. _She's really come a long way in shaping and controlling her powers_, he thought.

Their respective techniques faded, Mizore's wall being melted by the fire, and they began their attacks again. Saren gathered mana for a series of quick spells, while Mizore began creating ice clones and dispatching them throughout the chamber. Many of the ice clones, Saren noted, bore his appearance, while the rest looked like Mizore. _So she doesn't just make clones of herself, she can make them look like other people. A useful tactic,_ he noted.

The half-elf smiled at her for a split second before the two of them went off in opposite directions, blending in with their clones to confuse Kuyou. It worked for a few moments, until the demon began pulse his aura again, knocking all of them away. Many of the clones dissipated instantly, but enough remained to distract Kuyou from what Saren tried to do next. He began gathering a large amount of mana, struggling to bring it all in through the many layers of Kuyou's fortifications. Finally, though, he managed to get enough, and said, "I call upon the Disciple of Everlasting Ice. I summon thee: Come, Celsius!" The Ice Summon Spirit appeared, instantly attacking Kuyou with a flurry of strikes.

The fox demon recoiled from the attacks, trying to swat ineffectively at the Summon Spirit. Mizore used the opportunity to strike with more ice projectiles, trying to pin the demon's limbs in place. Kuyou roared in pain, his aura burning through the ice and evaporating it almost instantly. Celsius' power ran out as well, and she disappeared.

"I will not be defeated by the likes of you!" he shouted. "You will kneel before me!"

"No, I refuse!" Saren shouted, gathering more mana and launching another wave of spells. Mizore slid to the other side, trying to pin Kuyou in between their attacks. Discs of water and spikes of ice pelted the fox demon, but seemed to have little effect.

_This isn't good. I have to get in close to him,_ Saren thought. He rushed Kuyou, while the two remaining ice clones of him attacked from other angles. Kuyou lashed out with his tails, striking all three Sarens and sweeping them away. The clones evaporated, while the real Saren rolled backward to regain his footing.

The half-elf gritted his teeth and prepared to strike again. Kuyou saw him getting ready to attack, and laughed. "That would work so much better with a weapon I was weak to, wouldn't it?" he asked. "Something like this, would you say?" He reached behind him and pulled out a blue sword that appeared made of ice. Saren recognized it immediately.

_Dammit… he's still got Fenrir. Time to get it back…_ he thought.

Mizore, however, was already several steps ahead of him. "That sword belongs to Saren! Give it back right now!" she shouted, preparing her own weapon made of ice, a halberd. She swung it with all her might at the fox demon. Saren used the opportunity to advance on the fox demon, locking their swords together. Mizore took careful aim with the halberd, lining it up like a pool cue and jabbing it forward. It struck Kuyou between the eyes, causing him to howl in pain as he released his grip on the sword.

In a fluid motion, Saren sheathed the Redwing sword and snatched Fenrir from midair with the same hand. He spun to the right, catching Kuyou in the gut with a backhanded slash. The move had its desired effect; Fenrir's icy blade dug into the demon and he cried out again.

"That feels better," Saren said. "It's been far too long, old friend."

"That sword won't save you," Kuyou said. "Even if you were back to full power, you wouldn't be able to beat me."

"What do you mean?" Saren asked.

"I mean that you haven't seen the depths of my power yet. I still have so much more I can do," Kuyou said, smirking malevolently.

Saren's eyes widened. Kuyou's power began to increase again, and a ninth tail burned into existence behind him. "Dammit. He reached his full power already. How did he manage…?"

"I told you," Kuyou said, smiling at them. "You never had any hope of defeating me. I've reached my final form. The legendary nine-tailed fox demon is alive once more."

"He's wrong, Saren," Mizore said. "We can still beat him. I believe in you. I believe in our power."

Saren narrowed his eyes at Kuyou, but when Mizore spoke, her words drilled their way into his heart. He smiled wide, and nodded. "You're right, Mizore. We have to finish him. We won't fail."

"You fools," Kuyou said. "You're going to find out the hard way that my power is absolute…"

Kurumu slashed at her foe, then sent him flying with a powerful kick. As he headed for the wall, Kurumu flew past him, using all the speed she'd built up in the training they'd done. She reached the wall before he did, and rebounded off it, landing another kick in his spine.

He gasped in pain as he lurched forward again, but finally, his own wings sprouted as he stopped his progress. They appeared angelic, like a siren's wings, but the feathers were colored black. He turned to look back at her, with a devilish smile on his face. "You're quite good, Kurumu," he said. "But you have to stop now. I'm sorry, but I have to kill you."

"I won't let you!" Kurumu said. "You impersonated the only man I ever loved, and you're keeping me away from my friends!"

"Love…" the half-siren said. "It's such a fragile bond… it can be eroded by all sorts of outside forces… but eventually falls prey to time itself. It's an inevitability."

"What are you talking about?" Kurumu asked.

"I have walked this Earth for many years," the man said. "Many centuries. Many millennia. I have loved countless women, but each time, they've grown old and died, while I lived on, as young and beautiful as I am now. It sickened me each time it happened. Finally I realized that love is a human condition, and humans must be eradicated."

"That's not true," Kurumu said. "Love is an eternal bond between two people. Not even death can make it stop, when two people care enough."

"You speak such sentiments as if you know it to be the gospel truth," the man said, frowning.

"Love is the very thing that keeps a succubus alive," Kurumu said. "Our mission in life is to find our destined partner and fall in love with him. It's the very force that lets us continue."

"I am not ignorant of this," the man said. "Incubi are the same way. They live for love as well, only draining the sexual energy of women until they find that one they will ultimately fall in love with and remain with for the rest of their lives. But my problem is that there is no end to my life. Not until I kill you, anyway."

"Why?" Kurumu asked. "Why do you have to kill us? Why do you want your life to end so badly?"

"Because I'm tired of the pain," the man said, his eyes suddenly filling with a weariness she'd never seen before. "As I said, I've lived thousands of years. And I have been in love many times before. They were fulfilling loves, but ultimately I outlived them, merely because of a quirk in my biology. It was always so unfair…"

Kurumu shook her head. "There must be a way to help you… there's always a way…"

"I am sorry, but there is not. I must kill you," he said. "It's the only way."

"Stop, please," Kurumu said. "I don't even know who you are. If we have to fight to the death, at least give me that."

The man frowned at her, but seemed to think over her request. "Alright, if you must know… if it gives you some comfort in the hereafter… My name is Ty…"

He never finished telling her his name, because his eyes went blank. He fell, uncontrolled, to the floor, crashing into it rather gracelessly. Kurumu looked up and saw a girl standing there, an odd staff clutched in her gloved hands. Her brown hair was held up by a silver tiara with a dark blue gem set in it, and her eyes…

_Her eyes… they look familiar… I've seen her somewhere before…_


	65. Chapter 65

**[65]**

Saren struggled to catch his breath, forcing himself to maintain a grip on his sword. He looked beside him and started to wish he hadn't. Mizore was on one knee, clutching her burned arm. He could only imagine how much it had to be hurting her. Worse still, Celsius had used up most of her power holding Kuyou at bay. Despite her being a Summon Spirit, he was essentially a miniature force of nature. It would take a lot more power to bring him down. And yet…

And yet he had to try. He gripped his sword tighter, his anger at the situation building. The prince took a few steps toward his foe, and heard the demon laughing at him.

"You fool. After everything I've already done to you, you still think you can stand up to me? You're nothing more than a pathetic human. I tore apart the ice bitch, and even that sprite you summoned," Kuyou said.

"Kiss my ass," Saren said. "I'm not human, at least not entirely. Or do you not know a half-elf when you see one?"

"Half-elf?" Kuyou asked. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Half-elf. A human with elven blood, or else an elf with human blood. Your pick. Either way, it's what I am. And it means I'll always be able to come back for more," Saren answered defiantly. "I'm not stopping until you're dead."

Kuyou chuckled. After a moment, he began laughing outright, and once again his tails began to spin. Another wall of fire spat itself out toward Saren, and the prince held up Fenrir to defend against it. _No good, I don't have much mana left to waste defending myself._ He braced himself for the impending flames, the impact of powerful demonic aura.

And still he waited.

Instead of the fire he expected, he felt only cool air. He looked back at Mizore, but she was still huddled on the ground. He looked back to Kuyou, but instead saw someone else: a brown-haired girl in a sailor outfit, with black leggings and navy blue leather boots, and long black gloves, carrying a white-and-black staff.

"What the- Kira?" Saren said. "What're you doing here?"

"Somebody had to bail your ass out," his sister answered. "Besides, this guy's a child compared to me." To demonstrate her words, she turned to face him, revealing the flames Kuyou had dispatched gathered into an orb at the end of her staff.

"Do what?" Kuyou shouted. "Who do you think you are?"

"The Senshi of the Outer Rim, guided by the power of distant stars, they call me Sailor Miranda. And you, you're just a low-class punk," Kira answered, smirking. "So tell me, big bro. How is it you're having trouble with this guy?"

"Sorry, I've been kind of occupied trying to get my sword back," Saren said, returning her smirk. "I'm told that's pretty important."

Kuyou threw a large ball of fire at Saren's sister, but the girl twirled her staff in her hand and pointed the end at Kuyou, unleashing the attack that she had trapped earlier. It traveled back toward its original caster, enveloping his newest attack and blasting him backward.

"Wait your turn," Kira snapped at the demon. Turning to her brother again, she held out a small object to Saren, saying, "Here, I brought this for you."

Saren got a good look at it and shook his head. "Give it to Mizore. I'll be fine in a minute."

"Saren, you've got to-" his sister began.

"Give it. To Mizore," Saren said, cutting her off. Reluctantly, she walked back to the snow fairy and knelt beside her.

"Mizore, here," she said. "Take this. Saren refuses to take it himself, and wants me to give it to you instead." She handed Mizore a small grayish gummy.

"What is it?" Mizore asked.

"It's called a Miracle Gel," Miranda replied. "It's a type of medicine from Aselia. It'll help you recover your strength."

"Why are you giving me this…?" Mizore asked. "I thought you hated monsters…"

Miranda sighed. "Look, I know we didn't really meet on the best of terms. I guess part of me is still suspicious of you, but you're also with my big brother, and I'd do anything to protect any member of my family. But I'm really trying here. I'm trying to trust you. You should do the same for me."

"Why?" Mizore asked. "All you've done is try to tear me and Saren apart. Why should I trust you now?"

"Well, for starters, how about because we do?" a familiar voice said from behind the two women.

Mizore turned and looked up, then smiled openly. "Kurumu. You're okay," she said. "And Ruby and Yukari, too."

"That's right," Ruby said. "We were trapped in separate illusions by Kuyou, as I'd imagine you were. Sailor Miranda freed us from them and saved Kurumu's life."

"Is that true…?" Mizore asked.

"I hate to admit it, but yeah, it's true," Kurumu said. "Once she explained to us that she's really Saren's sister in some kind of superhero form, she helped us out. She's here to help us fight Kuyou."

"It's the least I can do," Miranda said. "Like I said, I'll do anything to protect my family. So if you want to beat this guy, let me help you."

Mizore looked up at Saren's sister, then back at all her friends. Finally, she studied the small gummy in her hand. Without much hesitation, she popped it in her mouth and started chewing it. It tasted terrible, and she wished she had something to wash it down with. But as she swallowed it, she began to feel her strength returning.

"Alright, then," she said, standing up. "Let's do this. We have to help Saren defeat Kuyou, for the sake of our world." She extended a hand toward Kira. The other woman, somewhat surprised at this action, smiled and shook it.

"Let's go help my big brother," she said.


	66. Chapter 66

**[66]**

Mizore felt heartened to see that her friends were alright. The fight against Kuyou was dangerous enough without having to worry about their safety. She wished there were a way for her to help Saren, but she knew that ultimately, he would find a way to recover himself.

The half-elf had managed to push himself to his feet after his sister arrived, but Mizore could tell he was still in pain. Kuyou readied another attack, a spear made of fire. He threw it at Saren, but Mizore countered it with a thick shield of ice, which broke the flame.

"So, you still want to defy me," Kuyou said. "You never learn, do you, Mizore? Even after I nearly killed your human friend, even after Fairy Tale nearly destroyed the lot of you. You're still protecting the wrong side."

"How many times do you have to be told?" Kurumu shouted. "Saren's not human, he's a half-elf! But he's a far better person than you'll ever be!"

"If he doesn't possess any monster blood, than he's a human, no matter how you try to dress it up," Kuyou said. "He'll burn like a human." The demon hurled another flaming spear at Saren.

"Guardian!" the half-elf roared, generating a large sphere of energy. The sphere absorbed the energy from the attack, dissipating it effortlessly.

"Neutron Burst!" Kira cried. An orb of white light appeared around Kuyou, trapping and crushing him with intense power.

"And the power of our magic!" Ruby and Yukari said simultaneously. Hundreds of winged tarot cards sped toward the fox demon.

"Dragon Hail Bullets!" Mizore shouted, firing a multitude of frozen projectiles at Kuyou.

Saren gathered mana for the water element, and said, "Drown. Spread!" A pillar of water erupted underneath the fox demon, hoisting him into the air.

When Kuyou landed, he was livid. The combined attack didn't seem to have had an effect on him. Saren's eyes narrowed, and he began combing for mana again. Mizore knew what he had to be trying to do, and she began creating more ice clones to distract the fox demon.

Kuyou attacked the clones, but they began dodging his movements. Mizore stood in one place, protected by Kurumu, while she could more effectively control the clones.

Finally, though, she felt that Saren had reached the level of power he was trying to get. A moment later, she heard him begin to speak again. "I call upon the Maiden of the Mist," he said. "I summon thee: Come, Undine!"

In a flash of deep blue light, she saw the Summon Spirit they'd both fought against come into being, and felt herself growing stronger as she saw several geysers of water erupt around the fox demon.

As Undine vanished, Mizore noticed Saren seemed to have recovered even more strength. _It must have been Undine. She must have healed us when she was summoned_, the snow fairy realized.

Kuyou's eyes narrowed as he realized what had happened. "So, you can summon creatures to do your will, even healing you if necessary. I can't let you live much longer," he said. "The only way I can defeat you is to target your one weakness."

"Don't even think about it," Saren said, tightening his grip on Fenrir.

The fox demon pulsed his aura out once, and hurled a burst of flames at Mizore. Saren slid to the side to try to block it, but it sped past him. Kira managed to get to the snow fairy in time, but the two of them were blasted backward by the flames.

The half-elf threw down his sword and charged the demon, his blood pounding in his ears. He pushed through a number of the demon's attacks, jumping into the air and spinning, catching the demon with a reverse kick. Kuyou was caught off guard by Saren's sudden display of power, and was unprepared for this strike.

The half-elf continued his hand-to-hand onslaught, hammering away at the demon with punches, kicks, or any kind of strike that he could actually land. Kuyou pushed him away almost effortlessly, but Saren would not be deterred. _Son of a bitch… not just Mizore… but my sister as well… I'll kill you!_

"What's wrong, did it hurt when I set the two girls on fire?" Kuyou asked, taunting him.

"I'll make you pay for that," Saren snarled. "I'm far from being out of power." He charged again, tapping into the power of the Cruxis Crystal he now wore. He turned aside Kuyou's attacks effortlessly, landing several punches in the demon's gut. He grabbed Kuyou by the throat, rearing back with his right hand and punching the demon in the side of the head. As Kuyou regained his footing, Saren jumped, hooking one leg over the demon's shoulder, grasping Kuyou's head with his left hand as he used his right to hammer the demon's head with powerful blows.

Kuyou grabbed Saren's arm, intending to fling him away, but the half-elf curled his body over, wrapping his legs around the demon's arm and reversing the motion, pulling Kuyou off balance.

"Holy crap!" Yukari shouted. "He actually got Kuyou off his feet!"

"Yes, but things are about to get far more dangerous," Ruby said. "Don't forget about Kuyou's ultimate form."

Kira began to stir slowly, pushing herself up onto her hands and knees. "What the hell… what was that…"

"Don't try to move too fast," Ruby said. "That was Kuyou's power. He's an incredibly strong fox demon, and his fire attacks usually carry curses with them."

"Is… Is Mizore alright…?" Kira asked, reaching for her staff.

"I'm fine…" Mizore said, rolling onto her side. "Why did you…"

"I know how important you are to Saren," Kira said, smiling. "He's going to put your well being before himself every time, no matter how much it hurts him."

"But that's… he's going to get himself killed…" Mizore said.

"Probably," Kira said, frowning. "That's why I came after you all. He's normally smarter than this, but with you in danger, he's just reckless. Especially equipping that Cruxis Crystal. It's dangerous to him right now."

"The Cruxis Crystal?" Mizore asked, her eyes widening. "But we're supposed to use that on the control unit to fix the barrier."

"Right now, the barrier means nothing unless Kuyou is defeated," Ruby said. "So it makes more sense for Saren to use the Cruxis Crystal now than to just hang on to it."

Across the chamber, Saren continued waging war against the fox demon. Kuyou's aura seemed to pull in on itself, concentrating on his body until it began to transform. All the while, Saren continued striking at vulnerable spots on Kuyou's body, until his strikes seemed to have no effect at all.

Kuyou intercepted the half-elf's next strike, sweeping it aside and grabbing him by the throat. As he lifted Saren into the air, Mizore got to her feet, with Kira standing beside her. "Let him go!" they both shouted.

"You want me to let him go? Very well," Kuyou said, slamming the half-elf into the unforgiving concrete floor. The ground cracked from where Saren hit, and Kuyou smashed one of his powerful legs into the half-elf's stomach. "You've caused me too much pain to be left alive. I'm going to make sure you feel every ounce of it before I'm finished with you."

The demon continued stamping into Saren's stomach and chest, and it felt to the half-elf like his entire body was breaking, little by little. He tried to get up, but was forced back down by the onslaught. _Dammit… Mizore… Kira… I have to save them… Someone has to save them! Ruby, Kurumu… please…_

Saren felt that his time was nearly up, that Kuyou was going to kill him, despite his best efforts to stop the demon. He tried to raise a hand to catch the demon's leg, but his body wouldn't answer him. _This is it… it's over…_ the half-elf thought. Then, quite suddenly, he heard the last thing he ever expected to hear: "Sparkling Wide Pressure!"

Kuyou was blasted backward, and Saren sucked in air noisily as he regained use of his lungs and stomach. He sat up, but immediately had to duck down again as another attack hurtled toward Kuyou.

"Thunder Arrow!"

A trio of lightning bolts sped toward Kuyou, landing in the ground in a triangle around him, before they connected to one another and trapped the demon in a prism of electricity.

"What…!" Kuyou exclaimed, once the shock had worn off. "Who the hell are you?"

Saren looked up as someone reached a hand down to him. He studied the fingerless gloves for a moment before he took the hand, which pulled him to his feet. "What are the two of you doing here?" he asked.

The man who'd helped him up shook his head. "We had to come. It's our job as well as yours. We live here on the Earth as well, you know."

Kuyou snarled at the new arrivals. "I demand you tell me who the hell you are!" he shouted. "How dare you disrespect me in such a manner!"

"Shut up," the man said quietly, glaring at the demon. "You've done enough. We're here to stop you from destroying this world. And this is a little personal for us, too. Because I just can't let you get away with picking on my son."

Saren had to suppress a smile as Adrian adjusted the sunglasses he wore. Behind him, Makoto, in her role as Sailor Jupiter, was helping her daughter to her feet, as well as aiding Mizore.

"It's time we stepped in to show you why you shouldn't screw around with our family," Adrian said. "Cause that's kind of a big mistake on your part. And the last one you'll ever make."


	67. Chapter 67

**[67]**

If Ruby was at all surprised by the new arrivals, she didn't show it. The elder witch remained calm and collected, leafing through the pages of her book to find something to help them. Yukari began to wonder if there was anything she should be doing to help. Saren's father had performed a quick spell to help heal the injured half-elf, then had started taking the fight to Kuyou along with Saren's mother.

As Yukari watched, each of her friends had begun to return to the fight. Mizore and Saren's sister were still recovering, but both their eyes showed an eagerness to repay Kuyou for what he'd done. Saren and his father both slashed at the fox demon with their swords, while Kurumu flew overhead, occasionally swooping down on the demon and attacking with her own sharp claws.

"Ruby," the younger witch said, "shouldn't we be out there helping them?"

"We won't do any good at close range right now," Ruby said. "We need to find a way to support them from here."

Yukari frowned and thought about all the magic she knew. Admittedly, it wasn't much. She knew enough to pull off a few pranks, and maybe trip people up, but ultimately she didn't know anything useful for this kind of conflict.

"Here, Yukari," Ruby said, pointing to something in her book. "Help me out with this. With both of us together, it should be stronger."

Mizore and Kira both got to their feet, exchanging a look of mutual admiration. "I guess it's a good thing you came after us," the snow fairy said. "I appreciate your help."

Kira smiled. "It's the least I could do," she said. "Saren wants you kept safe."

"And I want him to be safe," Mizore said.

"Then that's something we have in common," Kira said. "Let's go help him, together."

The two of them headed for Kuyou, feeling the temperature rise as they got closer. The fox demon hurled a spear of fire at Mizore, but Kira deflected it with her staff. The snow fairy returned his attack with one of her own, causing stalactites of ice to erupt underneath him.

Adrian backstepped quickly, giving himself enough space to cast a spell. "Grave!" he cried, as spires of rock burst out of the ground in the wake of Mizore's attack.

"I think that's it," Ruby said, watching the attacks land. "One person on their own will do nothing, even as strong as we all are now. We have to be able to hit him at the same time."

"Alright," Yukari said. "I'm ready when you are."

"We all have to be ready," Ruby said. "Even with all of us attacking, it'll take a lot of power to damage him, now that he's in his ultimate form."

"Jupiter Oak Evolution!" Makoto cried out.

"Freeze Lancer!" Saren shouted.

"Dragon Hail Bullets!" Mizore added.

Hundreds of projectiles of varying types hammered away at Kuyou, peppering the fox demon's flesh. To their shock, he pushed back against the relentless onslaught, raising the temperature again as his flames raged.

"This isn't good," Saren said. "We have to cool things back down."

"You have an idea?" Makoto asked.

"I can try to summon Celsius again, but I don't know if it'll work twice," Saren answered.

"No, Saren. Save your strength," Kira said. "If you summon again, you'll deplete your mana too quickly. There's another way, there has to be."

"Get back," Mizore said, hurrying past them. She began raising entire pillars of ice around them, reaching from floor to ceiling.

"Mizore, what're you doing?" Kira shouted, blocking another of Kuyou's attacks from reaching the snow fairy.

"I know what she's planning," Saren asid. He began gathering mana again, enough for one more summon. He dug deep, taking some of the mana from his own body as well. "I call upon the Maiden of the Mist! I summon thee: come, Undine!"

The Summon Spirit appeared, and caused pillars of water to erupt once more. The ones that didn't strike Kuyou were immediately frozen by Mizore. "She did the same thing when we made the pact with Undine," Saren explained. He staggered for a moment, but quickly recovered.

"And now you're low on mana," Kira said. "You have to rest."

"I'll be fine," Saren said. "We're almost done here anyway. We just have to finish him."

"Kira's right," Mizore said. "You've done far too much already… I can feel how tired you are…"

"Mizore, I…"

"Stop, Saren… Let me take care of you for once…" she said.

"You'll die," the half-elf said. "I can't let that happen."

"Then I'll die doing what I wanted most in life. I'll die protecting the most important thing in the world to me," Mizore said. She smiled at him, and created a few more ice clones, dispatching them all through the quickly cooling chamber.

"Kira…" Saren said, giving his sister a pleading look.

"You don't have to say it," Kira said. "I'll keep her alive, no matter what." she took off after the ice clones, apparently already tracking the real Mizore.

"You're not moving," Makoto said. "You're as reckless as your father. Speaking of…" She looked around for her husband, finding him playing hide-and-seek behind the ice pillars. Every time the swordsman struck from behind one, he moved immediately to another. Sighing, Makoto said, "Just like I said. Absolutely reckless."

Ruby and Yukari ran over to them, staying low to avoid stray fire attacks. "Are you alright?" Ruby asked.

"We're fine," Makoto said. "Saren used too much power, though."

"That's… bad timing," Ruby said. "We have a plan, but it'll take all the energy all of us can put out. We have to link our powers together."

"Unison attacks," Saren said. "Good idea. How are we going to tell the others?"

Ruby frowned. "I suppose Yukari and I could go get them," she said.

"No, it's way too dangerous," Makoto said.

"What about your crows?" Yukari asked. "Can they tell them to come back?"

"They could," Ruby said. "But it'd take a lot to get past Kuyou."

"We don't really need them to come back," Saren said, frowning. "They just need to catch on."

"Saren, are you sure you're going to be up to this?" Makoto asked. "You've used up most of your mana."

"I have to be," Saren answered. "There's too much at risk. This is all-or-nothing."

Makoto looked into her future son's eyes and read his determination. After a few moments, she smiled and said, "You're too much like your father. Alright, let's all work together. I'll go help Adrian."

"I'm coming too, "Saren said. "Close range will be better."

"We'll stay here and work on our part," Ruby said.

Makoto rushed to her husband's aid while Saren headed for Mizore and Kira. His sister had taken the brunt of at least one attack; the sleeve of her outfit had been charred. Kurumu flew down to them, landing next to Saren.

"Are you alright?" she asked. "You look like you're ready to pass out."

"I'm fine," the half-elf answered. "We have to end this now. Ruby and Yukari are setting something up. We're supposed to hit Kuyou with all we've got. Our strongest attacks, all at once."

"Sounds good," Kurumu said. "Mizore and I have just the thing."

"Saren, are you sure-" Kira began.

"I can manage, sis. Trust me," Saren answered. "Besides, I have a new trick I learned in Heimdall. This seems like the perfect time to use it."


	68. Chapter 68

**[68]**

He hit the run-down shack with the force of a small bomb. Part of the ceiling collapsed on top of him, yet Gin managed to push his way out, shaking his head to clear it. He growled at the monster who'd sent him flying, a hulking ogre using a tree as a club. "Alright, now I'm pissed," the werewolf said. He launched himself at the ogre, tearing at it viciously with his claws.

Nearby, another monster went sailing through an upper window, propelled in that direction by a girl with orange pigtails. She spun the heavy, spiked club she wielded around once, smirking. "These guys are so weak. I can do this all day," she said.

"Don't get full of yourself, Kokoa. They may be weak, but there's a shitload of 'em," Gin said. "Where'd San go? I can't hear her anywhere."

"She's somewhere around here," Kokoa said. A white streak flew past her, and the vampire pointed at it, adding, "Like right there."

San opened her wings, bringing her to an abrupt stop. The monster chasing her came to a stop as well, courtesy of Kokoa's spiked club. "I see you decided to bring a little party with you," the vampire said.

"It wasn't my idea," San said, frowning. "I think that was the one monster that wasn't affected by my power."

Kokoa smirked and hefted the club. "That's why you need one of these," she said.

"That stupid thing weighs a ton," Gin said. "There's no way San could lug it around."

"She won't have to if those dumbass weaklings hurry up and kill the fox," Kokoa snapped. "What's taking them so long, anyway?"

"Please, Kokoa. I'm sure they're doing the best they can," San said. "We just have to hold out a little longer."

_I hope you're right, San, _Gin tought. _Otherwise, we're all dead._

It had taken them a few minutes to prepare, since Kuyou pressed his attacks continuously. Finally, though, they were all where they needed to be. Saren and his family had taken up positions around Kuyou, using the few remaining ice pillars as cover. Ruby and Yukari stood further back, out of harm's way, while Kurumu and Mizore were ducked behind the same pillar.

"Why are you all hiding?" Kuyou asked, taunting them. "Is it because you know you can't win? Afraid of death?"

"If I die protecting my wife and children, then I have no reason to fear it," Adrian said. "And I could never begin to fear someone like you."

"I've never been afraid of dying," Saren said. "To me, it's always been an inevitability. Even for you."

"Dying's not high on my priorities, but stopping you certainly is," Kurumu added. "Let's see how afraid we can make you."

The succubus exchanged a glance with Mizore. She took the snow fairy's hand and took flight, and Kuyou shifted his attention to them. The two of them cried out, "White and Black Duet Number 13: Last Waltz!" A large crystal of ice formed over Kuyou's head almost immediately, and began to fall. He saw it just in time, and bathed it in flames. As it melted, Kurumu and Mizore shouted, "Downpour of Holy Water Waltz!"

Where the melted ice touched him, gouts of steam appeared on Kuyou. He tried to move away, but found himself bound to the spot. Ruby smirked, pleased that the trap she and Yukari set had succeeded. He roared at them in frustration, shouting, "You bitches! How dare you do this to me?!"

Adrian looked at his wife and said, "Our turn." The two of them broke cover, and Adrian began chanting, "I call upon thee in the land of the dead, to unleash thy fury of thunder."

As Adrian gathered mana for his spell, Makoto prepared her ultimate attack. "Jupiter… Thunder…" she said, charging up all her power.

"Indignation!" Adrina roared.

"Dragon!" Jupiter cried.

A rune circle appeared at Kuyou's feet, though he was already trapped by Ruby and Yukari's combined spell. An enormous dragon made of electricity appeared, instantly zeroing in on the fox demon. A swirl of light emanated from the rune circle, encircling Kuyou. The dragon opened its gaping jaws, appearing to devour the fox demon as it racked his body with electricity. Above, a horrifying bolt of lightning formed, striking the demon and amplifying the damage.

As Adrian and Makoto's powers synchronized, they both called out, "Indignation Judgment!" Several bolts of lightning struck within the confines of the circle, striking Kuyou. An ethereal sword formed above his head, spearing him and causing a small explosion when it hit.

Kira watched in admiration at her parents' power, but had to remember her role as well. She began concentrating her power on her strongest attack as Saren had instructed. Nearby, her brother was doing the same. She heard him saying, "Infinite power, descend from the heavens and grant me thy strength…"

Kira nodded and called out, "Miranda Comet Strike!"

Beside her, Saren said, "Meteor Storm!"

Her attack fell first; a large chunk of ice and rock fell from the ceiling, striking Kuyou and causing an explosion. Saren's followed it, causing several meteors to impact the area around the fox demon. Kira's eyes widened as her arms stretched toward Kuyou. "What's this power?" she asked.

Saren's hand extended toward the demon as well, and he shouted, "Prism Stars!" From the siblings' hands, dozens of bursts of light fired off, striking the demon repeatedly from all sides. Something flew away from the demon, blasted away from him by the power of the Prism Stars attack. When the spell dissipated, Saren dropped to his knees from exhaustion, having used even more of his personal mana for the Meteor Storm.

It was there he got a good look at the object that had been liberated from Kuyou. It was a mirror with an ornate frame, and he could sense a small amount of mana trickling from it. Somewhere behind him, he heard Ruby shout, "Lilith's Mirror!" The fox demon heard too, because he recovered enough to try to lunge for it.

Without a moment's hesitation, Saren pulled his axe from its sheath, hurling it like a tomahawk at the mirror, shattering it. He heard a small, tinny voice scream in pain, before the mana vanished altogether.

Kuyou watched in horror as the mirror was destroyed, and three of his tails disappeared. He dropped to his hands and knees, realization that his designs had been taken away crushing him.

Mizore hurried to Saren's side, trying to help him up. "Are you alright?" she asked. "That was an incredible power. Where did you learn it?"

"In Heimdall… Lundgrom taught it to me before we left…" Saren said, panting. "He thought it would come in handy against Kuyou…" He wavered again, threatening to lose consciousness.

"It's alright, Saren… Don't talk too much…" Mizore said. "Kuyou's not a problem anymore…"

Kuyou twitched when he heard his name. It seemed to snap him back to reality. "So… you think I'm not a problem anymore…" he muttered. "I'll show you… just how wrong you are…" He manifested a ball of fire in his palm, pushing himself to his knees and lunging at Mizore.

Saren, pulled Mizore out of the way with his left hand, drawing his sword with his right and moving for Kuyou. He felt his sword as it pierced the fox demon's heart, saw the demon's eyes grow wide with fear and shock. At the same time, he felt his own heart grow hot, as if a hot branding iron had been thrust into his chest.

The half-elf and the fox demon fell apart from one another, landing on their backs within seconds of each other. Saren faintly heard screams from around him, but couldn't bring himself to focus on them, or on the increasingly blurry visions coming into his view. All he knew was that it was over.

Then he knew nothing.


	69. Chapter 69

**[69]**

Darkness was all he could see. But it wasn't all he could process. He could feel, for instance. He felt cold. Cold was okay, he could deal with cold.

He could hear. He heart faint whispers, both masculine and feminine voices. Quiet sobs. Gentle, soothing words. "I promise you, he'll be okay. Give him time," a woman said.

He could taste. His mouth tasted dry. His whole throat was dry, probably. But it wanted something. Something sweet and delicious. Whatever it was he smelled, almost definitely.

_Brownies_, he thought. _Those are brownies I smell. Mom's brownies… Then I must be…_ He forced his eyes open, restoring his sight, and looked around. He recognized his surroundings immediately; he was on the couch in his father's study. He heard someone's voice outside saying, "I'm going to go check on him." The door creaked open, revealing a pale girl with purple hair, clad in denim shorts and white hoodie.

When Mizore saw that he was awake, she gasped in shock. "Saren! You're… you're alright!" she said. She ran to him, covering his body with hers as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Is he awake?" Kurumu asked, poking her head in the door. "He is! Hey, Saren's awake, you guys!"

Ruby, Yukari, and Saren's parents came into the room, each wearing smiles of expressions of relief. "I'm glad you're back," Ruby said. "You had us worried. After Kuyou's last attack…"

"I'm fine," Saren said, finally recalling the circumstances that led him here. "What happened? Did the attacks stop? Is the barrier sealed?"

"Not yet," Makoto said. "Kira went and rallied the others. She's telling them to defend against monsters, but not to destroy them."

"That's good," Saren said. "What about Kuyou's hideout?"

"Gone," Adrian said. "It started to vanish when you killed him, and damn near took all of us with it."

"I… wait, I killed him?" Saren asked, confused. "I thought I might have wounded him, but…"

Ruby shook her head. "When you destroyed Lilith's Mirror, you ended up killing Lilith. That broke the spells she'd placed. Kuyou returned to his real form, which had only six tails. He was no longer immortal, and the damage he'd taken from all our attacks had worn on him considerably."

"I see," Saren said. He lifted up his hand, and saw his original Exsphere attached to it now. "The Cruxis Crystal?"

"It's with the controller. I was waiting for you to wake up before we went somewhere to summon Origin," Adrian answered. "We can do that shortly."

"Come on," Yukari said. "Enough questions. I wanna try some of those brownies." Kurumu, Ruby, and Makoto laughed, and slowly everyone left the room. As she turned to follow them, Saren grabbed Mizore's hand, pulling her back.

"Mizore, what aren't you all telling me?" the half-elf asked. "It seems like there's more to it. What else has happened? How was I brought back?"

Mizore smiled. "Nothing else happened, Saren. After Kuyou was killed, we made sure you were alright. Your father gave you some medicine, and then gave you some of his mana. You've only been out for a few hours," she said.

"Then why do you still feel like you're holding something back?" he asked.

The snow fairy sighed. "It's just… It's over… After we repair the barrier, everyone will go their separate ways again. And you… you'll go back home…"

Saren opened his mouth to object, but Mizore leaned down and kissed him. She pulled away rather abruptly, and Saren caught a tear falling as she ran from the room. He heard the front door open and close twice, and sat up on the couch. _Now what do I do…?_ he thought.

He slowly emerged from the study, and saw only his parents sitting outside. "Saren, is everything alright?" Makoto asked. "Mizore ran out of here crying, and her friends had to go after her. Did something happen?"

"Time happened," Saren answered, frowning. "That's all, just bad timing."

"I don't believe that," Makoto said. "Not for one minute. Even if you two were born in different times, it shouldn't matter. You're in love with her, aren't you? Don't let that go." She winked at him and added, "Your mom said so."

"Makoto's right," Adrian said. "From what I've witnessed, you two are willing to go through hell and back for each other. That's a rare thing these days, even in Aselia."

"But what about the timeline?" Saren asked. "What about Setsuna?"

Adrian simply smirked and said, "Easier to apologize than to ask permission."

"Worry about the small things later. Right now, go after her. Bring her back. Let's set things back to how they're supposed to be," Makoto said.

When Kurumu finally found Mizore, she was sitting on a swingset in a park, out in the open. "What're you doing, Mizore? It's sill dangerous here," she said.

"I'm fine, Kurumu," came the sullen reply. "There's nothing around here." The snow fairy refused to meet her best friend's eyes.

"Then why did you run out?" the succubus asked. "What happened in there?"

"Nothing, I… I just had to get out of there," Mizore said. "I had to leave. Before I couldn't bring myself to say goodbye anymore."

"Say goodbye?" Kurumu asked. "To Saren? Why would you have to?"

"Because once this is all over, once the barrier is fixed, he'll have to go home," Mizore answered. "Home to the future."

"You don't know that for certain," Kurumu said. "He might decide to stay."

"He can't. He doesn't belong here," Mizore replied.

"So why don't you go with him?"

"Do what?" Mizore gave Kurumu a look of shock.

"Go to the future with him," Kurumu said.

"I can't, Kurumu," Mizore said, exasperation pouring into her voice.

"Why not?"

The question was simple enough, but the answer was far more difficult. Mizore frowned. "I don't belong with him," she said. "He's a prince, from the future. And me... I'm nobody..."

"That's bullshit!" Kurumu shouted at her, startling the snow fairy. "Everything we've seen the last few months says you don't belong anywhere else, with anyone else _but_ him! Your parents wanted you to stay with him!"

"But... but that's not..." Mizore started. She had to admit, she couldn't formulate an argument on that particular point. On the other hand... "I couldn't leave here… I can't leave all of you behind… You're my friends…"

"Mizore, listen," Kurumu said, sitting on the next swing over. "It's true that we're friends. In fact, you're my best friend. But what I've seen between you and Saren the last few months is love. True love, the kind of love a succubus spends her whole life seeking. That only happens once. That's even more important. Not just for succubi, but for everyone. You can't give him up, Mizore. I know you, and if you let him go, you'll never forgive yourself.

"And Mizore," Kurumu said, giving the snow fairy a hard stare, "I'll never forgive you either. Now stop making excuses. Go get your man, no matter what it takes."


	70. Chapter 70

**[70]**

Small lights popped in the sides of Saren's vision as he reeled from the punch. Standing before him, the blue-haired man glared at him. Saren worked his jaw, then struck back, a punch similar to the one he'd been hit with, but much faster. "Mind telling me what the hell that was for, Gin?"

"Whatever it was you did or said that made Mizore run off cryin', jackass," Gin answered, throwing another punch, this time into Saren's stomach. "Ruby and Yukari told me about it. They're off lookin' for her now."

Saren recovered quickly from the blow, launching an upward kick that caught Gin's chin, knocking his head backward. The half-elf spun, a roundhouse kick connecting with Gin's unguarded flank. "I don't even know what the hell you're talking about," he shouted. "She said something about me going home, then kissed me and ran off."

"Then why didn't you go after her?" Gin shouted back, unloading a one-two combo across Saren's jaw. The half-elf took the first hit, but blocked the second, using his arm to twist Gin's around, and then head butted the werewolf.

San watched in horror nearby. Gin had sniffed out Saren as he approached, and attacked without warning. Now the two of them were brawling outright, the result of Gin's short fuse.

"You don't think I tried? There's still too much monster energy in the city for me to follow her," Saren snapped, backhanding the werewolf.

"Both of you, stop!" San shouted, her voice pulsing out in a quick burst and knocking the two of them apart. "Saren… please, Gin didn't mean to attack you. He's just worried about Mizore. We all are."

"I'm worried about her, too," Saren said. "The way she kissed me and ran off like that, it was almost like she…" He stopped and thought. With anyone else, he wouldn't ignored the comment about him going home. But Mizore knew his secrets, knew he was from the future. "It's like she was saying goodbye. Like she never expected to see me again."

"Why wouldn't she expect to see you again?" Gin asked.

"Because she knows I have to go home. It'd be a long time before I saw her again, probably around twenty-five years," the half-elf answered.

"Then the answer's simple, ain't it?" Gin said. "Either don't go, or take her with you."

The half-elf's shoulders slumped. "It's not that simple. I-"

"It's always more simple than you think," San said. "You and Mizore are close. You told me yourself she's the only one who makes you feel comfortable. And I know she feels more for you than she ever has for anyone. As cheesy as it sounds, that amount of love is able to overcome any obstacle."

Saren smirked. "You're right, that does sound pretty cheesy," he said.

"It happens," Gin said. "But look, kid. I gotta level with you. You said you wouldn't see her again for twenty-five years. But what makes you think she'll be there waiting for you?"

"What do you mean?" Saren asked.

"I mean a lot can happen in twenty-five years. People move on every day. They find someone else to love. Or they die. Accidents happen. The point is, shit happens. You gotta make the best of your life while you've got it, y'know?"

Saren frowned. He was right, of course, accidents happened frequently. And his sister had already mentioned that Mizore's biographical data showed nothing after Youkai Academy. Presumably, she was missing, but death was also possible. _And I have the ability to change that_, he realized with a rush. _If something was going to happen to her, I could stop it. Or would she be walking into a worse fate in the future…?_

"Look," Gin said. "It's obvious you're second-guessing yourself. Maybe even third-guessing. Cut it the hell out. Just go with your gut. What's the worst that can happen?"

"More than you realize," Saren answered. Sighing heavily, he added, "but you're right. No guts, no glory, as they say. Have to make the best of it. Thanks, Gin."

"Anytime, kid," the werewolf said.

"One more thing," Saren said, wincing. "Stop calling me kid. I'm older than all of you."

It took a little while for them to find their way back to Saren's parents' place, but finally Kurumu and Mizore made their way in the front door. "I apologize," Mizore said, bowing to Makoto, "for leaving the way I did earlier."

"It's okay, I understand," the brown-haired woman said, smiling. "I just wanted to make sure everything was alright between you and Saren."

"I don't know…" Mizore said. "I want… I want to stay with him… but I know he has to go home…"

"Didn't we already have this talk?" Makoto asked, smiling at the snow fairy. "Mizore, you've got something special. And I'm not just saying that because I'm Saren's mother. Looking at it from an outsider's perspective, you've got something rare and beautiful. And he knows it too. Don't give up on him just yet."

"Although it'd probably be a good idea to find him," Adrian said dryly. "If we want to fix the barrier, we need to get going."

"I'll see if I can find him," Kurumu said. "It won't take long."

"Don't do anything reckless," Mizore said.

"Like sitting on a swingset in the middle of a war?" the succubus asked, smirking.

"Like flying around in the middle of a war," the snow fairy returned. "I doubt all the charm in the world would save you then."

"You're probably right," Kurumu said. "But I've got other ways to find somebody. I'll bring him back in a flash."

True to her word, within a half hour, Kurumu had Saren standing in front of her, in his parents' living room. "I won't lie, that was impressive," Mizore said. "How'd you manage it?"

"Oh, a little bit of charm," the succubus said with a mischievous tone.

"You didn't…"

"Oh, not on him," Kurumu said. "Like I said before, cold as a fish. No, I managed to charm a couple of guys who saw him and Gin having it out a few blocks away. It didn't take me long to find Saren after that."

"Sorry, if I knew you were looking for me…" Saren said.

"It's okay," Mizore said. "I'm sorry for running out on you earlier… I just… I didn't want…"

"I know," the half-elf said. "We'll talk later, I promise. We have to fix the barrier, and start herding all the monsters back to the other side. That means herding away a fair few humans, too."

"It looks like we have our work cut out for us. Let's go for a walk," Adrian said, indicating the door behind them.

"Wait, what about Ruby and Yukari?" Kurumu asked.

"Oh, don't worry. If they can sense magic at all, they'll come to us," the swordsman said.


	71. Chapter 71

**[71]**

Saren recognized the park they'd arrived at as the one he'd first landed in. For some reason, it seemed, this particular park had had a long-standing connection with magical events on Earth. "I don't know why," the half-elf said. "But I feel a wellspring of mana in this place. Like there's some sort of link here."

"There is," Adrian answered. "This is the first place the link to Aselia was forged. It's more or less where I appeared on Earth. It's also where many other magical events have taken place before."

"I see," Saren said. "So why are we here? Are we going to go back to Aselia from here?"

Adrian shook his head. "We don't have to go back to Aselia. We have everything we need here." As if on cue, Makoto handed him a small box, which he took. He opened it to reveal a polished silver ring with a diamond on it. He placed it on the ring finger of his right hand.

"Is that a pact ring?" Mizore asked, seeing that it was similar to both of Saren's.

"It is," the swordsman said. "It will allow me to summon a great spirit that has rarely been seen. It's the only one capable of crafting the Eternal Sword, so long as its separate components exist and are near one another."

"So that's what the book meant," Mizore said. "You can use that to summon Origin."

"Hmm? Oh, that's right, Saren borrowed the book about the Kharlan War," Adrian said. "Well, yes. I'm going to summon Origin and craft the Eternal Sword, but not for the purpose Saren had in mind. Instead, I'm going to use it to bond the Cruxis Crystal to the control unit. It'll make it indestructible."

"I suppose we'd better hurry. The more time we waste…" Saren said, frowning.

"You're right, of course," Adrian said. He closed his eyes and began concentrating, pulling mana from all around him. Mizore felt an odd breeze that seemed to circle all of them. The power seemed to converge on Adrian, as the swordsman said, "I call upon the master of all elements. The ruler of heaven, Earth, and everything in between. I summon thee: Come, Origin!"

A bright light formed in front of the swordsman, growing larger than either of the previous ones Mizore had seen before. It began to mold itself into a shape, dimming only slightly as it did so. Mizore could make out a pair of strong legs, and four powerful arms. A ring of crystals orbited it perfectly. When it spoke, its voice was deep, masculine.

"You who bear the right of the pact. What do you require of me?" it asked.

"Origin," Adrian replied. "I call you here to ask you to forge the Eternal Sword. We must use its magic to save two worlds, as was done in Aselia in the past."

"Alas, I cannot. I refuse to be responsible for the separation of the world again," Origin said, bowing.

"Origin," Saren said, "the world was already separated by a barrier. We only seek to restore that barrier, since without it, the world truly would be destroyed. This is not the same as the Kharlan War on Aselia."

"It's true," Mizore said. "When the world was separate before, both sides were able to live in peace, without sacrifice. Since the barrier fell, monsters have begun attacking and destroying humans all over the world. We have to restore the peace."

"The Eternal Sword itself will not be used to separate the worlds. It is being used to repair the medium that will, the control unit for the barrier," Adrian said. "Once we have repaired it, we will cease using the Eternal Sword."

Origin seemed to think on this for a moment. Mizore felt a kind of itching sensation, as if something was in her head, but she knew she couldn't reach it because it was, in fact, in her mind. _This is so weird… I wish it would stop…_

The Summon Spirit opened his eyes again, looking directly at Adrian. "It would seem that you speak the truth. Very well. I shall lend my power to craft the Eternal Sword for you." At once both Odin and Fenrir began to remove themselves from Adrian and Saren's sheaths, and floated between Origin and Adrian. They began to glow brightly, and their auras merged. In a moment, the two swords themselves fused together. The blade grew much longer, and turned a dark purple color that Mizore found oddly beautiful.

"It is done," Origin said. "Use this weapon's power wisely." The Summon Spirit began to fade as the Eternal Sword slowly descended into Adrian's hands.

The swordsman nodded sagely at the sword. Makoto brought the controller and the Cruxis Crystal to him, setting them on the ground before him. As she backed away from them, Adrian said, "Eternal Sword, I ask thee to grant thy power. Forge a new bond between these two items, and let one draw strength from the other. Let them rely on one another forevermore, that they may together protect the world from destruction."

He raised the Eternal Sword's point to the sky, and a strange light began to surround it, as well as the controller and Cruxis Crystal. The two of them levitated off the ground, rising higher into the air, until they began to draw closer together. They began to merge as the swords had done, and a bright flash lit up the park, causing Mizore to turn away. When she could see again, she only saw the control unit. It fell slowly into Adrian's hand as the Eternal Sword disappeared. Odin and Fenrir returned to their original forms, and then to their owners' sheaths.

"Here it is," Adrian said, holding the small unit out to them. Mizore examined it carefully. The stone was larger, and lacked the cat-like eye that the other stone had had. The circuitry had intricate runes carved into it. "The barrier this is capable of generating will be far stronger than anything else, and should become self-sustaining after awhile, meaning even if the unit is removed, the barrier will survive."

"But what if the unit is stolen?" Saren asked. "I'm not as worried about the barrier as I am about the Cruxis Crystal. In the wrong hands…"

Adrian shook his head. "The Cruxis Crystal itself is now part of it. It's impossible to separate the two. You'd have to break the Cruxis Crystal, which would make it useless."

"That's good," Kurumu said. "Then it looks like all we need to do is take this back to the academy and start rounding up all the monsters."

"Good, we'll take care of that," Ruby said from behind them. "Sorry it took us so long to find you. We were distracted by a number of monsters."

"It's fine," Kurumu said. "We should get going. We need to do this as soon as possible."

"Be safe, all of you," Adrian said. "The majority of the danger has passed, but that doesn't mean you're completely out of the woods."

"We'll be fine," Saren said. "Thank you for all your help."

Adrian nodded briefly to them and started on his way out of the park. Makoto walked over and gave Saren a hug, then offered a hug and a brief whisper to Mizore. She followed her husband, and Mizore smiled sadly.

"What's wrong?" Saren asked as Mizore walked over to him.

"It's nothing," she answered. "Maybe we'll talk about it later."

Saren frowned and said, "Alright…"

Kurumu watched the two of them walking away, and turned back to look at Yukari and Ruby. All three of them saw the same worried look.

"What's the deal with those two?" Ruby asked.

Kurumu sighed and said, "It's a long story…"


	72. Chapter 72

**[72]**

Their journey to the monster realm was largely uneventful, to Saren's surprise. It seemed that most of the monsters had gone into deeper seclusion with the barrier's collapse.

"That is strange," Kurumu said when the half-elf pointed it out. "I wonder why they're hiding."

"Many monster populations are already dying out," Ruby answered, "succubi and snow fairies included. The fear of extinction is understandable."

"Then why were so many monsters attacking humans?" Yukari asked.

"They're probably among the more populous races. Trolls, ogres, things like that. Plus, the only ones Mizore and I encountered were hybrid monsters," Saren answered.

"If that's true, then it may have been rogue elements leading the attack," Ruby said. "Not that humans will know the difference."

Saren shook his head. "No, there's no way they could know the difference. Human prejudice runs deep, even in my time," he said. "All we can do is try to curb some of it. Stopping it entirely may prove impossible."

Mizore frowned. "I still don't think it's right. There are good monsters, just like there are bad humans. Why should everyone suffer for the a few people's mistakes?"

"Because sometimes anger makes people blind. They can't tell good from evil anymore, whether it's in themselves or in others," Ruby replied. "All we can do is try to help them see."

"There's an old saying in Aselia," Saren said. "If there is evil in this world, it lurks in the hearts of men."

"That… sounds very biased," Kurumu said. "I'm guessing a half-elf said it?"

"A human, actually," Saren replied. "He wasn't just referring to one race, though. He was talking about prejudice as a whole."

"It sounds right," Yukari said. "People never have a reason to fight until someone has something different than them. Magic, clothes, beliefs, hair or skin color…"

"Cup size," Kurumu added, smirking. Yukari glared at her, vividly recalling their constant quarreling at Youkai Academy.

"The point is," Ruby interrupted, "that as long as there are differences, there will be resentment."

"And the key to reducing that resentment is to teach people a better way, not by removing those differences," Saren said. "Even Mithos, widely regarded as the Hero of the Kharlan War, had the chance to learn this. Instead, he chose to remain blind, and died in willful ignorance."

"He's probably not the only one," Kurumu said, frowning. "I'm sure there are countless others who let their prejudice win out over common sense. It's one of the reasons Tsukune was almost executed while we were at school. The student body was outraged when they thought he might be a human."

"Personally, I think it's a good thing for all of us that he was exonerated," Ruby said. "If he weren't, none of us would be having this conversation right now."

Saren sighed as they continued to Youkai Academy. All this talk about the conflict between monsters and humans weighed on him heavily. Part of it was because of the half-elf persecution in Aselia, but the future also worried him. Before coming to this time, he'd never realized monsters existed in such numbers on Earth. He wanted to know why, but had no way to begin to find out.

_And since nobody in the future really talks about monsters, I have to wonder what they'd think of Mizore,_ the half-elf thought. _No, it doesn't matter. She's a hero of this world, no matter what anyone else thinks. Humans be damned if they can't appreciate her._

It caught him off guard that he was thinking of Mizore in the long term, in his time. It was an unbidden thought, but, he had to admit, not an unpleasant one. _At least there in the future, we'd be able to relax, more or less. Still, there's the issue of everyone else… all her friends…_

"Hey, what's wrong?" Mizore asked, coming up alongside him.

"I'm just thinking," the half-elf answered. "Both about the conflict here on Earth, and about the future."

"I see… I'm sorry," Mizore said, frowning.

"Mizore, I-"

"You don't have to say it," Mizore said, cutting him off. "I know you want to go back home… back to your own time…"

"Well, yes," Saren answered. "That was never in doubt. I do miss my home, and my parents. But that's not what I was going to say. I was actually about to say that I wish you'd tell me what's bothering you, but I think I know."

"What is it, then?" the snow fairy asked.

"You're worried about me going back without you," he said.

"Well… well of course I am," Mizore said. "I want to be with you… I always have…"

"I know you have, Mizore," he said. "But I also know what all you'd be giving up if you came with me."

"Saren, I…"

"Heads up, everyone," Ruby said. "We're here."

Saren and Mizore looked up and saw the Academy. "Oh no…" Mizore said, surveying the school. "It's been destroyed…"

"A lot of the students rioted when the barrier fell," Ruby said. "We should be able to fix it, though, once we get the barrier back up and the students back here. Come on, the Director's waiting."

They ventured inside, and Ruby led them down a hidden staircase to the basement. They emerged into a dimly lit chamber with a small computer in the center of the room. Beside it, Saren saw a figure wearing a white robe. "There it is," Ruby said. "That computer controls the entire barrier."

Saren walked to the control panel, unit in hand. The Director extended his hand to Saren without a word, and the half-elf placed the item in the other man's hand. In the brief instant they both held the controller, Saren felt an incredible surge of power from the other man. _He doesn't look like much, but there's a lot of hidden power there. I've only felt this much strength from a few people in my whole life. __Including... _"Tsukune?"

"Thank you," the Director said. "Ruby's told me what trouble you went to to have this repaired. It means a great deal in our efforts to allow humans and monsters to coexist."

"Hopefully it will go a long way toward helping in that regard," Saren said. "It's supposed to create a more powerful, and eventually self-sustaining, barrier."

"Excellent," Tsukune answered with a smile. Saren released his hold on the controller, and the vampire placed it in the slot on the control panel. The computer hummed to life, and power began filling the entire chamber, causing it to grow brighter. "It seems to have done the trick. The barrier is rebuilding itself."

"Then it was a success," Ruby said. "All we have to do is bring all the monsters back from the human world."

"That will be an entirely different struggle. Nonetheless, I thank you, Saren Tyndall," Tsukune said. "Your efforts will not be forgotten."


	73. Chapter 73

**[73]**

As they all left the academy, Saren still had some lingering misgivings. _I wonder what he meant when he said my efforts would not be forgotten_…

"Well, now that everything's settled, we can finally take a break," Kurumu said. "Getting the monsters rounded up and brought back to this side should be easy."

"True, but I don't think we need to worry much about that," Ruby said. "Gin, San, and Kokoa are doing most of that work already."

"Then it looks like everything's pretty much wrapped up, right?" Yukari asked.

Mizore started frowning, and turned away from the group, wandering off on her own. "Hey, what's wrong?" Kurumu asked, following her. The snow fairy put more distance between herself and the group before the succubus grabbed her arm and stopped her. "Talk to me."

"You know what's wrong, Kurumu. We're all done here," Mizore said. "There's no more work to do. No more journeys to take. It's time to say goodbye to everyone."

"Say goodbye to everyone?" Kurumu asked. "You mean you are leaving after all?"

Mizore shot Kurumu a sidelong glance. "No," she muttered. "I mean… I want to… but I don't know…"

Kurumu made a noise of exasperation. "You're so damn frustrating, Mizore," she said. "I already talked to you about this. You're going with him."

"But… I…"

Saren could barely see the two of them, but couldn't hear what they were saying. He crossed his arms and frowned. "I wish I knew what was wrong," he said. "I'd thought Mizore would be glad now that the threat is over."

"The way Kurumu talked about it, apparently Mizore was hesitant about ending the conflict," Ruby said. "She's afraid of what will happen to all of us."

"Afraid of what will happen…?"

"After Youkai Academy, Mizore and all her friends went their separate ways. But we promised to keep in touch," Ruby said. "The fact that we didn't devastated her, and we feel terrible about it. The truth is, though, that none of us really had contact with each other as well. Yukari was the only person I kept up with the last few years, because we witches are spread so thin it's rare to encounter another one. But that's not a good reason for us to have kept away from one another."

"We really didn't mean to stay away for so long, but it's like you said in the fight with Kiria. Sometimes it happens, because it's the only way we can grow up," Yukari said. "And we all have, even Mizore. But sometimes the past comes back to us, and we're not ready for it."

"Now, on top of it, she's afraid that she might lose you as well as us," Ruby said. "That was another thing Kurumu mentioned. Mizore wants to stay with you, no matter what happens. And honestly, I think it's a good thing for her."

"Normally, I would agree," Saren said. "But the fact is that you're all her friends. You're all she has left, since the destruction of her village and the deaths of her parents. I couldn't possibly-"

"Saren, you really don't get it," Ruby said. "You're our friend, too. You've saved our lives, and demonstrated a remarkable compassion for all monsters. While I don't like that we'd have to be so far apart when you leave, I have to admit I would feel better if Mizore were with you. It's where she's belonged from the beginning."

"Ruby's right," Yukari said. "All of us used to fight over Tsukune, but we knew deep down that the only one he belonged with was Moka. And now, we all know that the only one Mizore belongs with is you."

Saren looked between the two of them, then sighed. "I guess I should probably start listening," he said. "Everyone's trying to tell me the same things."

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked.

"My parents told me to let Mizore come with me," Saren said. "And Gin ended up hitting me pretty good. I'm pretty sure he was going to try to tear me apart until I relented."

"Well, Gin can be pretty protective of all of us," Ruby said. "Especially the ones who were actually in the newspaper club with him. But he really is just trying to look out for his friends."

"I suppose," Saren said. "I guess I should go talk to her."

"Unless you want to get hit again," Yukari said. "I'm told getting pummeled with washtubs hurts."

Saren glared at the younger witch, but started to walk towards Mizore and Kurumu. He could overhear part of the conversation now, but just faintly.

"-already told you, if you didn't go you'd never forgive yourself."

"But I don't want to leave my friends behind."

"-and _then_ I told you I'd never forgive you either!" Kurumu shouted. She spotted Saren approaching, and smirked. "Though I suppose if you don't want to go with him, I could go instead. Maybe he'd warm up to me a little after all."

"What?!" Mizore snapped, rounding on the succubus.

Kurumu braced herself for a fight, and said, "Yeah, I mean, I guess if you don't want to go with him, you must not be as in love with him as you thought. You promised to stalk Tsukune wherever he went, and we see how that turned out."

Mizore took a few steps forward and grabbed the collar of Kurumu's bodysuit, and said, "That's not the same thing… I love Saren with all my heart, and if it weren't for you all being here, I wouldn't hesitate."

"You don't get it, do you?" Kurumu asked, batting the snow fairy's arm off her. "We told you to go on and be with Saren, didn't we? All of us did. And Gin even told Saren to take you with him. We want you to be with him. It's where you belong now, haven't you figured that out?"

Mizore looked into Kurumu's eyes, then glanced over the succubus' shoulder and spotted Saren approaching them. She backed away from Kurumu and frowned, unsure about what he was coming to tell them. He pushed past the succubus, walking right up to Mizore. He looked into her eyes, and she felt her resolve breaking.

"Mizore," he said, his voice quiet. "I want you to come home with me."

The snow fairy's eyes widened in shock, but despite her disbelief she wrapped her arms around him, holding him close as tears fell from her eyes. She looked back at Kurumu, who was smiling in earnest, with tears beginning to form in her eyes as well.

The snow fairy closed her eyes and smiled, whispering in Saren's ear, "I want to go home with you. I want to… I want to be yours… forever…"

The mountain village had begun to recover, slowly but surely. Snow fairies had moved back into the few homes that were left standing, and had started to rebuild the ones that were destroyed. The inn, though, was left untouched for now, as if the villagers were waiting on something else to happen first.

And, indeed, something was about to happen. The group of travelers, with a snow fairy among them, entered the village to the surprise of many of those who called this place home. That they would so boldly enter this land came as a shock to them, but more shocking still was the identity of the snow fairy who was among them, Mizore Shirayuki.

The group approached the ruins of the inn, and Mizore fell to her knees before it, clutching an icy flower in her hands. She laid the flower gently in the snow, as the brown-haired man beside her knelt as well, placing a hand on her shoulder. The villagers recognized him after a moment, as the one who had arrived to protect them from the Cerberus who had destroyed their homes.

"We gather here today," the brown-haired man said, "to pay proper tribute to those who lost their lives in this village, who were victims of a devastating tragedy that threatened to claim many in its wake. Many fell here, and though I do not know them, the people who are still here do know them, and will remember them for many years to come.

"But not all of these who fell were mere victims. Some were brave souls whose only thought was to defend their families, their loved ones, their friends. Among them were the owners of this humble inn, Tsurara Shirayuki and her husband. They gave their lives that their daughter might live. We have avenged their deaths, repelling the designs of an evil man, and now remember their sacrifice.

"Tsurara and her husband are gone," Saren said. "But their legacy continues, for their daughter is still alive, still protected by their final act of love for her. I vow to them with my life's blood that this will continue, that she will always be protected."

Mizore reached up with her left hand, placing it on Saren's hand as she placed her right on the snow in front of the inn. She concentrated her power into it, ignoring the tears flowing down her face, and began to lift her hand slowly. A large block of ice formed underneath it, taking shape slowly as Mizore's hand rose. After a couple of minutes, a plinth stood in front of the inn, with an inscription engraved into it:

"_Here lie Tsurara Shirayuki and husband, founders of this village, heroes of its people, and beloved parents. Given by their daughter, Mizore Shirayuki."_

The villagers had gathered around the odd group of travelers by this point, and when they saw the monument raised, they formed a funeral procession, each intending to pass by Mizore and pay their respects. Saren motioned for Kurumu, Ruby, and Yukari to join him out of the way, so the mourning could be conducted properly.

"What made you think to do this?" Kurumu asked.

"It was a promise I made to her, a long time ago," Saren said. "The time was never right until now, when we could all be here to do it, and to carry on in peace."

"And in all that time you never forgot," Ruby said, smiling. "They'd be proud of you, you know. Mizore's parents, that is. They'd be glad to know that you were taking such good care of their daughter."

"That reminds me," Kurumu said. "My mother wanted me to give Mizore a message. She and Mizore's mother used to be rivals, back when they were at Youkai Academy together, and when Mizore and I were in school, that rivalry was rekindled. But she wanted Mizore to know that although they never got along that well, my mom always respected hers."

"I'm sure she'll be happy to hear that," Saren said. "It will mean a lot to her."

As the procession passed, Saren led the others to the end of the line, allowing each of Mizore's friends to convey their feelings in peace. When his time came, he said nothing, merely looked into the snow fairy's eyes. She smiled at him and wrapped her arms around him, whispering, "Thank you, Saren."

He held her close to him, kissing the top of her head gently. "Always, Mizore. Always," was all he said.


	74. Chapter 74

**[74]**

They stood in the same park where, just a few days before, Saren's father had summoned Origin and recreated the control unit for the barrier now keeping this world safe. The night was quiet, with stars partially obscured by clouds. Saren had noted it'd be better to make the journey at night because of the lack of passersby.

The human world had largely been vacated of monsters, with the heads of several monster clans summoning their kin home to discuss punishment for this blatant violation of the human world. The humans were beginning to rebuild their homes, choosing to believe that a natural disaster had claimed so many of their homes and jobs, rather than admit the existence of monsters. "So for once, their ignorance works in our favor," Ruby said. "For now, at least. I'm sure it will become more difficult in the long run, once the monsters decide the time is right for reveal ourselves to humanity. There will be a lot of hard feelings to sort through."

"Will you all be alright?" Saren asked, frowning.

"We'll manage," Kurumu said. "None of us are in trouble, after all. I'm pretty sure we'll be fine. You two need to get going, though, or you'll be in trouble."

Mizore turned back to face her friends and smiled at them. "I'm going to miss you all," she said.

"We'll miss you too, Mizore," Ruby said. "We'll see you in a couple of decades, though. Now get going."

"Don't forget about us," Yukari said. "We'll all be seeing you in the future."

Kurumu walked up to Mizore and wrapped the snow fairy up in a hug. "Take care of yourself, Mizore. I hope for the best for you both," she said quietly.

The succubus retreated, but stopped when she saw something on the ground. Saren caught sight of it, noting that it was a black feather. He shrugged it off as she picked it up, and reached into his jacket pocket, revealing a key that Mizore had never seen before. It was silver, but had an odd, blue gem at the top. A gust of wind picked up, surrounding them slowly, as Saren began to talk softly. "I call upon the god Cronos, guardian of Time. Open your gates to me, that I may return to my own time."

As they all watched, a small hole seemed to open in reality, expanding large enough to accommodate both Saren and Mizore. It seemed to be a violent vortex of dark energy, but there was no outside effect. "Normally, this passage is taxing," Saren explained to the snow fairy. "But since you've gone through the Otherworldly Gate with me so many times, this should seem like nothing to you."

Mizore smiled. "It's okay. Even if it wasn't that easy, I'd still go with you," she said. Turning to look back at her friends one last time, she added, "Goodbye, everyone. I'm going to miss you all."

"I'm sure we'll be back soon," Saren said. "Once things get settled in the future, I mean. For the time being, though…"

They turned back toward the portal that had opened. Saren gripped Mizore's hand securely, and the two of them stepped through.

When they emerged, the sun was shining, providing a sharp contrast to the place they'd just left. The city looked largely the same as it had when they'd left, but a new structure had begun to form, seemingly made of crystal. Mizore marveled at it briefly, before other things caught her eye.

Many of the buildings and homes that had been destroyed by monsters had been rebuilt. People all around were shopping, walking around, talking to each other. Gone were the fear, paranoia, and suspicion she'd known. Now all she saw was peace and happiness. "It's… it's almost a completely different world," she said. "It's unreal that this much could have changed.

"It probably wasn't easy," Saren said. "I'm sure there was a good deal of courage required on the humans' part."

"I just wish it hadn't happened," Mizore said. "I wish we'd been able to do more to stop monsters from attacking and hurting so many…"

"We did all we could, Mizore. These people did the rest," Saren said. "Eventually, humanity realizes what's best for it, and bands together, forcing itself to rebuild. They may not be exemplary as individuals, but as a whole, they're adaptable."

"You know, you oughta be careful talking like that. People might think you're not from around here," a female voice said. Saren and Mizore turned around, seeing Kira standing behind them.

"What're you doing here? I thought you were holding off the monsters back in the past," Saren said.

"I got finished with that. Once the barrier was restored, they started flocking back to their own realm," Kira answered. "When you guys ran off, I came back here. It's time to go make your report."

Saren sighed. "Well, here we go, Mizore," he said. She took his hand in hers and gave him a smile, reassuring him that everything would be okay. He smiled back at her, and the two of them followed Kira.

Many of the streets boasted new shops, but overall the people looked the same. There were certain types of new technology that Mizore didn't recognize, but she was sure she'd learn about them in no time. They followed the brown-haired girl in a direction that turned away from the apartment Adrian and Makoto had been in in the past, but instead toward the growing crystalline structure at the heart of the city.

"Mom and dad have a different home now," Kira explained, seeing the confusion on the snow fairy's face. "Once they found out mom was pregnant, they decided a small apartment wouldn't cut it anymore, so they actually bought a house."

The house, it turned out, was a respectable-sized home a stone's throw from the edge of the crystal structure. They entered it quietly, and Mizore felt an odd chill wash across her. Saren must have felt it, because he gave her a look of concern. _Is this it?_ she thought. _Is this where I'm going to spend the rest of my life…?_

Kira led them through the large front room, to a sliding door at the back, which led into a fenced-in garden. Makoto and Adrian were outside, sitting on a swing facing away from the door. As the three of them stepped out, Adrian turned his head to catch a glimpse of them. He nudged his wife, who promptly got up and turned to face them.

When Mizore got a good look at them, she saw that time had passed for Adrian and Makoto without leaving any marks on them whatsoever. The only things that had changed about their appearance was that Makoto chose to wear lipstick now, and Adrian had grown a somewhat dignified beard. The older woman smiled at Mizore, Saren, and Kira, and opened her arms, walking slowly toward them.

"So you've managed to return safely," Adrian said, smirking at them. "I'm glad to see you're both alright."

Mizore stood petrified, until Saren's mother enveloped the two of them in a hug. "Welcome home, my courageous son, and _both_ of my beautiful daughters," Makoto said. Mizore hugged Makoto back, tears beginning to fill her eyes again. She remembered to slip an arm around Saren as well, for the half-elf had grabbed her into his hug. Makoto let go of both of them, and looked at Mizore, asking, "What's wrong?"

The snow fairy shook her head. "Nothing…" she said. "I'm actually really happy…" And she was, because for the first time since her parents died and her village was destroyed, after months of wondering the human world, the monster realm, and even the far reaches of Aselia, she knew that she had finally come home.


End file.
